Department of Economics International Conference
Contemporary Research on Economic Issues in Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa ended the second decade of the 21" Century with a lower growth rate compared to the end of the first decade. Despite the relatively poor growth performance in the second decade, poverty headcounts declined, primary school enrolment rates of girls and boys increased and there was improvement in the provision of infrastructure as measured by the increase in the proportion of households with access to electricity. At the continental level, Agenda 2063, the master plan of the African Union sets out aspirations and goals of the continent. And at the national level, countries, such as Ghana with its 'Ghana Beyond Aid' policy have outlined their long-term visions and strategies. Clearly, bold actions are needed to transform the economies of Africa and improve the well-being of its population. The continent is still bedevilled by many challenges, such as endemic poverty, rising income inequality in many countries, structural change that has not translated into employment in high productivity sectors, youth unemployment, gender inequality along several dimensions and the impact of climate change. The ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic is a severe negative shock that could derail economic growth and transformation for many years.
The Department of Economics, University of Ghana is thus pleased to announce this call for papers and panel proposals for its first international conference with the theme 'Contemporary Research on Economic Issues in Africa' that will be held in Accra, Ghana on 29th and 30lh July2021. This is a call for theoretical and empirical research papers on contemporary issues that impinge on Africa's economic development and potential for structural transformation such as:
• Structural transformation of African economies
• Domestic revenue mobilisation for sustainable development
• Regional integration and the African Continental Free Trade Area as a vehicle for sustainable development
• Social policy and Africa's structural transformation
• Reducing poverty and inequalities (gender, income and spatial)
• Greening Africa's economic transformation: Challenges and Opportunities
• Harnessing Africa's Population Dividend
• Digital transformation and Africa's development
• COVID-19 and its effects on African economies
• Human capital development and labour market issues in Africa
• Health Economics and Policy for sustainable development in Africa
• Monetary and financial policy
Submissions: Abstracts (maximum of400 words) must be submitted to econsalumni@ug.edu.gh by 4th May 2021. Submissions can be made for individual papers or panel sessions. Submissions must be made in English - there will be no translations. Participants are limited to one paper presentation. Additional co-authored papers are allowed only if they are presented by the co-author. Authors of successful abstracts will be contacted by 20th May 2021.
Given the COVID-19 pandemic this conference will be virtual with the opportunity for limited in-person attendance.
To register for the conference please click on the link below or copy it into your browser. Registration ends on 22nd July 2021. http://bit.ly/UGEconsCongress2021
Selected papers from this conference will be published in a supplementary issue of the Ghanaian Journal of Economics. All submissions are subject to journal refereeing procedures.
Please send any questions for further information to econsalumni@ug.edu.gh