The Annual Bank Conference on Development Economics (ABCDE)

 Cape Town, South Africa, June 9-11, 2008

 

PRETORIA, South Africa, May 23, 2008 – The Annual Bank Conference on Development Economics (ABCDE) 2008 will be held from June 9-11 in Cape Town, South Africa. Using the theme ‘People, Politics and Globalization,’ the conference will discuss such issues as high food prices, financial turmoil, investment and growth, human development, and the role of China in financing Africa’s development.
Main sessions will be viewed through the lenses of South Asia, Africa and the opportunities and risks of globalization.
ABCDE is an annual World Bank event being hosted this year by the Ministry of Finance of South Africa. This is the first time the event is being held in Africa.

High level and plenary speakers will include:
Trevor Manuel, Finance Minister, South Africa;
Michael Spence, Chair, Commission on Growth, Nobel Laureate,
Justin Lin, Chief Economist, the World Bank; Bossma Kodani, Executive Director, Arab Reform Initiative; and Sunil Munjal, MD and CEO, Hero Cycles Limited and Hero Corporate Service, Limited, India.

An opening press conference
will be held at 11 am June 9 at the conference venue with Messrs Spence and Lin presiding. On June 10, there will be a 10:30 am press conference to launch Global Development Finance 2008: The role of international banking. GDF analyzes economic prospects and capital flows to developing countries and assesses the impact of high food and energy prices.

What/When:    ABCDE 2008, June 9-11 (all conference sessions will be open to the media)

Where:            International Convention Center, Convention Square; 1 Lower Long Street; Cape Town  8001; South Africa.

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