INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE EMERGENCE OF AFRICA: COTE D’IVOIRE AND THE UNDP PRESENT THE KEY ISSUES TO THE MEDIA

As a prelude to the International Conference on the Emergence of Africa (ICEA) to be held from next March18, the Senior Minister, Minister of Planning and Development, Dr. Mabri Toikeusse, and Mr. Babacar Cissé, the United Nations Resident Coordinator and Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), met with the press on March 12 to present the issues. Organized by Côte d’Ivoire in collaboration with UNDP and in partnership with the World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB), the conference, which will be chaired by the Head of State, HE Mr. Alassane Ouattara, hopes to bring together Heads of State and Government, development practitioners from public administration, the private sector, civil society and the academic world, on the emergence of African countries.
In an international context characterized by a marked improvement of African economies, which are strong growth champions, this conference represents a boon for African states as a framework for drawing inspiration from development models that have proved their worth elsewhere, said the Minister of Planning and Development.
Far from being a meeting for deciding to replicate development models of emerging countries, this conference is rather a place of exchange and dialogue to draw inspiration from the best practices and adapt them to the African countries, Albert Mabri Toikeusse also said.
"There is no miracle solution in this matter," added Babacar Cissé, arguing that the purpose is not to impose models, but to analyze the reforms that need to be implemented, by learning from success stories for African countries, which he added, "have taken their responsibilities".

He said that the UNDP is supporting this conference, which brings together emerging countries and countries in search of emergence for the first time,because the specialized organization of the United Nations considers it important to emphasize the need to reduce poverty in the context of rising growth in most African countries.
But this conference will not be just another conference, insisted the Senior Minister, Minister of Planning and Development, assuring that the recommendations that will come from it will be followed up and that it will be possible to measure their impact on the development of African states on the move towards emergence.
This project for the emergence of African countries is not a pipe dream, but can be achieved on the basis of a set of concrete indicators, such as strong growth accompanied by a reduction of poverty, the fight against unemployment and the implementation of reforms, among other things.

As for Côte d’Ivoire, Senior Minister Mabri Toikeusse said that the emergence sought by the authorities is based on inclusive growth and "strong leadership" in a country that intends to take advantage of all its potential that has not yet sufficiently been explored.

He said that, as a platform for exchange, the Abidjan Conference on Emergence will be a "great opportunity" to build a partnership capable of accelerating the attainment of emergence for African states by strengthening cooperation between them.
The International Conference on Emergence, which will be organized over three days, will focus on themes whose aim will ultimately bring together, among other things, the views of decision-makers and experts on the drivers and key factors for the success of an inclusive development, a structural and sustainable transformation of Africa, a better understanding of the dynamics of economic and social transformation in emerging countries.