One of Africa’s foremost economists, K.Y. Amoako has been at the centre of African economic policymaking for the best part of 50 years. He now heads Africa’s leading economic think tank, the African Centre for Economic Transformation (ACET).

In his recent book, Know the Beginning Well, K.Y. has reflected on his personal experience of Africa’s economic growth (and lack of it) and the effectiveness of policies designed to promote it during these critical years since independence. How did policies impact on the real economy? What caused the economic decline in the 1970s and ’80s.

Did the push to implement the ‘Washington consensus’ hinder or help African economies? What drove the dramatic recovery after 2000? And what approach is needed now to achieve the real transformation of African economies that is needed both to meet local needs and to give Africa a greater role in the world economy?

Three reviews of K.Y’s book exploring different aspects of it, by Alex de Waal, Nick Westcott, and Prof Shanta Devarajan will be published on the African Arguments website in early May.

Join these and a cast of economic commentators and practitioners to discuss K.Y.’s book in one of our African Arguments, African Voices podcasts.

Chair: Dr Nick Westcott, Director, Royal African Society

Speakers:

• K.Y. Amoako, Founder, and President of the African Center for Economic Transformation
• Professor Alex de Waal, Executive Director, World Peace Foundation and Professor, Fletcher School, Tufts University
• Professor Shanta Devarajan, Professor of the Practice of International Development, Georgetown University
• Ndidi O. Nwuneli, Founder/Director, LEAP Africa, Managing Partner, Sahel Consulting Agriculture & Nutrition and Co-Founder, AACE Foods

This event will be live streamed via Zoom and Facebook. The Zoom link will be sent out to all those registered via Eventbrite.

Register to attend here

Header Image: Sunrise over Cape Town, South Africa – Rohan Reddy/Unsplash