
The event was hosted by The Development Policy Research Unit (DPRU) – a regional partner of the World Bank’s Network on Jobs and Development (NJD) programme. The workshop focused on the following topics:
- demographic shifts taking place in SubSaharan Africa (SSA) and how these impact on labour markets;
- the informal economy and how it links to urbanisation in the region;
- different forms of labour regulation in SSA and how these influence informality and firm behaviour.
A set of country-level case studies was also presented, examining both current trends as well as emerging growth and employment challenges in SSA labour markets. Keynote Speakers included: Shanta Devarajan (Chief Economist – Middle East and North Africa, World Bank) and Kathleen Beegle (Lead Economist, Africa Region, World Bank). Below is a list of all presentations given during the workshop:
- Kathleen Beegle: “What do we know about labour markets in Africa: Some of the Gaps”
- Ahmadou Aly Mbaye: “Labour Market Regulations in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a Focus on Senegal”
- Lucas Ronconi: “Enforcement and the Effective Regulation of Labour”
- Jaivir Singh: “Who is a Worker? Seeking Answers from Economics and the Law”
- Nancy Benjamin: “Jobs and The relations of formal and Informal firms: case study of Senegal and Benin”
- Piotr Lewandowski: “Reflections on informality and casualisation from Eastern Europe”
- Morné Oosthuizen: “Public Spending and Demographic Change in Southern Africa”
- David Margolis: “Poverty, Employment and Education in Southern Africa, 2020-2100”
- Sara Troiano: “Forever young? Socio-economic implications of the demographic transition in Southern Africa”
- Shanta Devarajan: “The trade-off between employment and cronyism in the Middle East and North Africa"
- Haroon Bhorat: “Minimum Wages in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Primer”
- Sam Jones: “Understanding Mozambique’s growth experience through an employment lens”
- Olufunke Alaba: “Growth of Nigeria’s economy: a paradox”
- William Baah-Boateng: “Strong growth amidst job creation concerns: Insight from Ghana”
Detailed information and presentation files may be downloaded from the DPRU website
Photos by DPRU. More - available in gallery.