CALL FOR PAPERS
Whereas people in developing countries are becoming
richer, about a billion others, mostly found in Africa and
Central Asia, are being thrown deep into poverty. While
there is a plethora of reasons for why this phenomenon
is occurring, one of the key factors is isolation. Put more
precisely, the argument is that poverty is rife in Africa
because Africa is isolated and not integrated into the
world economy. Consequently, most African countries are
not able to enjoy the benefits of international economic
law, whose main objective is to make people live better
through open and fair markets and deeper integration
into the world economy.
It is against this background that the conference seeks
firstly to bring together academics, intergovernmental
organisations, governments, policy makers, economists,
private sector and NGOs to discuss the ways in which
African states’ economies can be integrated into Africa
(intraAfrica) and the world.
Secondly, it is the objective of the conference to
determine the role that intergovernmental organisations,
governments, private sector and NGOs can play to
integrate African states into the world economy and
within Africa.
To this effect, the question is – how do we insert Africa
into the global economy on the key issues, that is, what
are the key issues that need to be addressed for Africa’s
development?
In addressing this question, what can be the role of
intergovernmental organisations, states, private sector
and NGOs in integrating Africa in the world economy and
within Africa on the following issues:
- Trade in goods and agriculture
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Trade in services
-
Foreign investment
-
International finance and monetary policy
-
Governance
-
Competition law and policy
-
Intellectual property rights and technology acquisition
-
Infrastructure development and economic integration
(especially transportation and energy)
-
Dispute settlement
-
Multilateral economic governance and African
economic integration
Thirdly, on a comparative note, how have other regions such as Latin America and Asia, which were once isolated,
become integrated into the world economy? What can
be the lessons for Africa and how can such lessons be
applied to Africa?
Papers discussing global economic integration and
development will be welcome as well.
It is planned to publish selected papers presented at the
conference in a book.
Abstract Submission
The Mandela Institute at Wits School of Law and the AfIELN
conference committee invite submissions of abstracts
on the general theme, ‘Trade Governance’. The theme
reflects the importance of integrating Africa in global
trade and investment. The theme also calls for the fact that
Africa’s development is tied to integration into the world
economy through international economic law. Abstracts
on the aforementioned issues are particularly invited.
Abstracts should be submitted by email to Julie.Dunsford@
wits.ac.za by 7 September 2012. Submissions should
include an email with the author’s name and full contact
information, and a Word attachment with an anonymous
abstract of no more than 300 words. Abstracts will be
considered by a process of double-blind reviews and
decisions on proposals will be sent by 5 October. Selected
presenters will need to submit their papers (maximum
8 pages) for inclusion in the conference package by 1
February 2013.