Sean O'Leary’s Post

🌍 ECONOMY & SOCIETY | POLICY BRIEF 📊 Excited to share insights from our latest article! "What African countries can learn from the continent’s top performers in e-government." In this comprehensive analysis, we explore the strategies and success stories of Africa’s leading e-government pioneers. From enhancing efficiency to promoting transparency and boosting citizen participation, these initiatives are reshaping governance across the continent. Key Takeaways from the discussion on e-government implementation in African nations: - Strategic importance: Successfully implementing e-government measures is crucial for African nations to achieve the African Union's Digital Transformation Strategy goal of establishing a digital single market in Africa by 2030. - Persistent challenges: Despite efforts, many African countries face ongoing challenges in implementing effective e-government systems, jeopardizing the attainment of the Digital Transformation Strategy goal by 2030. - Evaluation of top performers: The paper assesses the e-government practices of leading countries like Mauritius, South Africa, Seychelles, and Tunisia using the levels of e-government framework. - Critical success factors: Analysis reveals that these top-performing countries attribute their success in e-government to foundational factors such as robust infrastructure, skilled workforce, and a supportive legal and regulatory environment. - Recommendations for improvement: African countries are advised to adopt a modular approach in developing e-government strategies. This approach involves focusing on enhancing their strongest level of e-government and investing in customized solutions tailored to meet the specific needs of citizens and businesses in a straightforward and cost-effective manner. 📄 Read the Full Article: What African countries can learn from the continent’s top performers in e-government - Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI) (afripoli.org) 🖊️ Authors: Lara Goldmark, Hamza Denguezli, Jorge Alarcón Martin 📅 Published: July 4, 2024 Let's lead the way in leveraging technology for a more transparent and efficient future! 🌍💻 #EGovernment #DigitalTransformation #Governance #Africa #Innovation #Transparency #Efficiency #CitizenParticipation

In Africa, the Science for Africa Foundation’s Grand Challenges Africa Initiative has quickly become an example of an effective tool to unlock government funding to address widespread development challenges. With its focus on facilitating inclusive multi-stakeholder collaboration within Africa’s research and innovation ecosystem, the Grand Challenges Africa model is enabling a highly coordinated, well-funded and innovative R&D ecosystem by ‘connecting the dots’ to link innovators to funding, technical resources and other factors that sustain a robust R&D ecosystem. https://lnkd.in/d3yngE3y

PDF Industrial Clusters and Innovation Systems in Africa: Institutions, Markets and Policy United Nations University digsell https://lnkd.in/eHYDnkS6 This book is the first to examine the incidence and role of clusters as a viable and increasingly important form of industrial organization in Africa. The overall aim of the book is to improve our understanding of how local clusters can be transformed into local systems of innovation and how local clusters can be better connected to global actors. The authors draw out implications for policy and practice and provide guidance to governments, private sector associations, and non-governmental organisations. https://lnkd.in/eJk_s5z7

PROFESSOR KINGSLEY MOGHALU'S POLICY STATEMENT ON HIS APPOINTMENT AS CHAIRMAN OF THE AFRICA PRIVATE SECTOR SUMMIT My appointment as Chair of the Board of Directors and Advisory Board of the Africa Private Sector Summit (APSS) is an honor and an opportunity to work with colleagues to help Africa rediscover and support the critical role of the private sector in achieving our continent’s aspirations to prosperity. This requires effective engagement not just with the private sector, but also with Africa’s political leaders and governments, as well as international organizations and civil society. It also requires two critical things: 1. An understanding across all stakeholder groups of the balance between the state and the markets in wealth creation. 2. An enabling environment for business, which the Africa Private Sector Summit will champion via advocacy for the adoption of the Private Sector Bill of Rights by Member States of the African Union. The private sector in African countries can unlock prosperity for Africa. Africans are broadly enterprising people. But without effective governments, governance & public policy, they can’t. Every prosperous country has a competent, effective state as background.

#ICYMI African Economic Conference 2023: Role of SEZs in Africa’s economic development #AEC2023 This panel discussion from the African Economic Conference 2023 held in Ethiopia, explores the role of Special Economic Zones in promoting sustainable development in Africa. https://lnkd.in/dgeB9rRG

We are thrilled to invite you to our upcoming Thought Leaders Forum: "Bargains or Betrayals? The Role of Elites in National Development" with renowned economist Prof. Stefan Dercon, who is the author of the popular and insightful book, ‘Gambling on Development: Why Some Countries Win and Others Lose’.   Dive into a thought-provoking dialogue that dissects the underlying forces and motivations shaping nations' paths to development. Our panel will delve into the complexities and contentious roles of elites in cultivating or crippling their countries' growth and prosperity:   ➡️ Prof. Stefan Dercon, our main speaker, will lead the event, outlining the concept of ‘Development Bargains’ and how it applies to several of the countries that we work in. ➡️ Neil Fowler, ASI’s Director of Global Programme Impact, Gayatri Sahgal, PhD Candidate and Independent Researcher, and Daniel Pimlott, Director of our Governance and Stability team, will join the conversation, sharing their perspectives from having worked on programmes in some of the most challenging and complex contexts around the world. ➡️ Guiding us through this dialogue will be our Head of Africa, Suvojit Chattopadhyay, who will moderate the discussion, ensuring a stimulating exchange of ideas.   How do we assess whether ‘development bargains’ are taking shape in countries where we work, and in particular in fragile contexts? How can we improve the odds? Join us as we explore the pivotal role the international community can play (or not!) in leveraging instruments like aid, trade, defence cooperation, and diplomatic engagement to guide, support, and amplify the impact of development bargains.    >>> Register Here 🔗: https://lnkd.in/dRiGMxzs

📢 Call for Papers 📢 Join us at our upcoming conference where we welcome the brightest minds in research, entrepreneurship, and innovation to contribute to the advancement of economic and inclusive development in Africa. 🌍 Theme: Applied Knowledge for Economic and Inclusive Development in Africa Sub-themes: - Technological Innovations - Economic Development in Africa - Addressing Terrorism and Banditry - Harnessing Geospatial Applications - Understanding Climate Change and Its Impacts - Promoting Small Business Development and Entrepreneurship - Fostering Sustainable Economic Development - Strategic Management for Growth - Navigating Workplace Behavior and Challenges - Combatting Social Vices and Cultivating Attitudinal Change - Insights into Party Politics and Elections - Trends in Accounting and Finance - International and Community Development - Leveraging the African Free Continental Trade Agreement 📝 Abstract Guidelines: Abstracts, ranging from 200 to 300 words, should be rooted in empirical research with clear implications for achieving economic sustainability and enhancing individual well-being. 📧 Submission Details: - Send your abstract to: [email protected] - Abstract Submission Deadline: 10th April 2024 - Full Paper Submission Deadline: 25th April 2024 🗓️ Conference Date: 29th April 2024 ⏰ Time: 10:00 AM 🎤 Featuring: - Speaker Sessions - Panel Discussion - Applied Knowledge Workshop. 📚 Publication Opportunity: Accepted papers will be featured in the prestigious International Journal of Applied Knowledge. 🎟️ Participation is FREE! Don't miss this opportunity to contribute to the collective knowledge and progress of Africa. We look forward to your valuable contributions.

The Euro-Mediterranean Economists Association - EMEA, represented by its Founder and President, Prof. Rym Ayadi, and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), represented by its Executive Director, Kareem Hassan, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the purpose to enhance collaboration on the Euro-Mediterranean and African ecosystems, enhance expert knowledge in the regions and support transparent inclusive social and economic development with a particular emphasis on expertise, sharing of knowledge, co-funding, and dissemination to support a transformation towards a transparent sustainable transition in the Mediterranean and Africa. https://lnkd.in/gpHmaGc5

Just came across a thought-provoking paper on how Africa's digital transformation can benefit both the African continent and the United States. This publication sheds light on the potential for mutual economic prosperity through technology advancements in Africa. https://buff.ly/3sBJai7

Which challenge is your association least ready to cope with? 📊A sneak preview of the #AssociationSurvey responses so far indicate that associations are least ready to cope with: 1. Diversification of revenue streams (36%) 2. Data monetisation (31%) 3. Global economy (29%) #ICCAAssociationCommunity, please continue to share your input so we can help the #MeetingsIndustry be better prepared to support associations in this ever changing environment. The new deadline for submissions is 📆 Thursday 15 February, 2024. Take the survey here 👉https://ow.ly/KhMG50QwEhy This survey is conducted in collaboration with the ESAE - European Society of Association Executives, the Africa Society of Association Executives (AfSAE) and the Asia-Pacific Federation of Association Organizations (APFAO). #ICCAWorld #AssociationMeetings #AssociationsMeetingNeeds #Associations #AssociationStrategy