MEFMI AND IMF ICD CONDUCTS JOINT WORKSHOP ON INCLUSIVE GROWTH

MEFMI, in collaboration with the Institute for Capacity Development (ICD) of the IMF, held a regional workshop on Inclusive Growth from 19-30 September 2016. The event was hosted by the Africa Training Institute in Mauritius, and brought together 21 officials from Central Banks and Ministries of Finance/Planning from Angola, Kenya, Tanzania, Mauritius, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The objectives of the workshop were to: understand and interpret measures of poverty and inequality; analyze the role of macroeconomic policies in promoting growth, poverty reduction and equality; identify obstacles to inclusive growth and prioritize reforms and design an inclusive growth strategy.

The experts presented and discussed with workshop participants on various topics such as: Inclusive Growth; Growth Theory and Growth Accounting; Inclusive Growth Measurement; Designing an Inclusive Growth Strategy; Analysis of the Zambia Case Study; Fiscal Policy and Inclusive Growth; Human Capital Policies and Inclusive Growth; The Role of the Financial Sector and Inclusive Growth; Analysis of the Kenya Case Study; Competition Policy and Inclusive Growth; Labour Market Policies and Inclusive Growth; Analysis of Corruption and Inclusive Growth and Demographic Trends & Gender Inequality.

The lectures and group sessions were structured on strengthening participants’ knowledge of inclusive growth. Participants were divided in three (3) groups and each group was requested to select a MEFMI country and conduct a diagnostic exercise of inclusive growth. The selected countries were Kenya, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. The diagnostic process involved a) analysing the countries’ past growth; b) preparing a profile of the main economic actors in the country and assessing the inclusiveness indicators and c) identifying growth bottlenecks and constraints using the Hausmann, Rodrik, and Velasco approach. Each of the three (3) groups was required to make a presentation during the final day of the workshop.

The main output from the workshop were the ability of participants to conduct a growth diagnostic exercise of inclusive growth. This indicated that participants understood the content of the workshop and the main objectives were achieved.

The workshop was facilitated by Dr. Dmitriy Rozhkov, Dr. Irina Yakadina and Dr. Caroline van Rijckenghem.