14th African Regional Meeting

Transforming Africa’s Informal and Rural Economy for Decent Work



Panelists

Christian Ntsay
Prime Minister, Madagascar

Abdoul Wahab Barry
Head of Hub and Country Director, West and Central Africa Division, IFAD

Innocence Ntap
 President of the “Haut Conseil du Dialogue Social (HCDS)” and former Minister of Labour, Senegal

Lorraine Sibanda
President of StreetNet, Zimbabwe

Alex Frimpong
Secretary-General, Ghana Employers’ Association

Mody Guiro
President, Africa, International Trade Union Confederation, and Secretary-General, National Confederation of Workers, Senegal

Overview

This high-level interactive panel will explore the key policy issues related to transforming Africa’s informal and rural economies and how this can result in more and better jobs for Africa’s youth. It will look at the ways in which decent work can become a driver for such inclusive transformation, in particular through the formalization of the informal economy and the revitalization of the rural areas.

The panel will be addressing some of the following issues and questions:
  • What are the key priorities for ensuring a transition to formality as a means for reducing poverty, improving working conditions and ensuring the sustainability of enterprises, including through a fair competition among them?
  • What policies and programmes need to be put in place to support economic diversification and structural transformation of rural economies with a view to improving formal employment opportunities in rural areas? What policies can work best in transforming agriculture and making rural economies attractive for young women and men?
  • How can the voices of informal economy and rural workers, particularly women, be better reflected in policy-making? 
Moderator: Tatiana Mossot