The 2014 African Development Forum in Morocco

MARRAKESH (ILO News) - The Ninth African Development Forum will be held in Marrakech, Morocco, from 12 to 16 October 2014 on the theme "Innovative financing for Africa's transformation”.

Under the overarching theme of “Innovative Sources of Financing Africa’s Transformation”, the ILO Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Africa, Aeneas Chapinga Chuma will be a guest-speaker during a panel session on: "Domestic resource mobilization: Challenges and opportunities". This key event of the African Development Forum will take place on 14 October 2014 from 14:30 to 16:00.

The panel on domestic resource mobilization will be moderated by Hon. Mohamed Boussaid, Minister, Ministry of Economy and Finance, Morocco. The speakers/panelists are:

• Mr. Aeneas Chapinga Chuma, Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Africa, ILO
• Hon. Kaba Nialé, Minister of Economy and Finance, Côte-d’Ivoire
• Mr. Beker Shale, Director-General, Ethiopia Revenue and Customs Authority, Ethiopia
• Prof. Machiko Nissanke, Professor of Economics, SOAS Director, University of London
• Mr. Brahim Benjelloun Touimi, Directeur general, Banque marocaine du commerce éxterieur, Morocco
• Mr. Jaloul Ayed, Former Minister of Finance of Tunisia

The Forum brings together African and international experts, representatives of the private sector and leaders to discuss ways and means to develop innovative finance in the continent, including broadening capital markets, finding new sources of investment and increasing domestic resource mobilization.

The meeting will propose a more focused and in-depth discussions on issues relating to innovative financing mechanisms in the following four thematic areas:

• Domestic resource mobilization
• Illicit financial flows
• Private equity
• New forms of partnership
• According to UNECA, the theme - Innovative financing for Africa's transformation - stems from the recognition of the role of finance in attaining the structural transformation agenda premised on African-owned and African-driven developmental initiatives.

ADF offers also an opportunity to share the strategic importance of financing development in Africa and the roles to be played by stakeholders.

The Forum will build on best practices, innovative policies and strategies, and institutional and governance frameworks. It will also aim to be guided by evidence-based knowledge and information on the range of options and their scope for leveraging opportunities for financing Africa's sustainable development, the UNECA concluded.