Speakers
Anzetse Were
Development economist and independent consultant, Nairobi, Kenya
Jue Wang
Political economist and lecturer, Leiden University, NL
Comment by
Cornelia Staritz
Development economist at the Department of Development Studies, University of Vienna

Most African countries are highly reliant on primary commodity exports. China has made commitments to enhance Africa's industrialisation and economic diversification, e.g. through the China-Africa Industrial Capacity Cooperation Fund. Industrialisation holds promise for a more inclusive and sustained pattern of development. At the same time, African countries have become the center of Chinese overseas investments in order to fuel its own economic strategies. In other words: China’s economic engagement on the continent is also driven by the appetite for Africa’s large reservoir of natural resources.

We will explore the following questions:
- Are there mutual benefits between Africa and China in carrying out industrial capacity cooperation? How can African countries make the best use of the relationship to China?

- Is the integration into global value chains the key to sustainable industrialisation and job creation? And if so, can China, based on its own experience, contribute to assisting African countries to move up value chains, in technological and social terms?

- Or wouldn't it be better to promote the regional before the global, i.e. a political and economic regional integration?

Officials, scholars, students and members of NGOs interested in global political economy and development are cordially invited to attend. The workshop will be held in English. For organizational reasons please register: Mr. Franz Schmidjell, schmidjell@vidc.org