AFRICA REGION Achi Atsain (Chair)

ISSUES Enhance access to markets and design policies to reduce all forms of risks Balanced social/economic investments, e.g. health and education vs. roads and agriculture In developed world, major causes of death are cardiovascular (high blood pressure, high cholesterol)

ISSUES (cont’d) Developing countries have double disease burden, i.e. both cardiovascular, but most important infections and malnutrition related Focus on building capacity of young people and farmers Malnutrition and poverty are causal and effect of each other

ISSUES (cont’d) Optimal budgetary allocation between social services (health education) and growth related (e.g., agriculture) still a challenge for most African countries No special problem with Africa – proposed solutions not adequately implemented Issues of conflict and governance not well discussed

ISSUES (cont’d) African countries need to be allowed room to design and implement own policies and diversity partners based on perceived mutual benefits.

POLICIES / MECHANISMS Improve the policy environment Enhance public-private sector partnerships Improve infrastructure (social and growth related) Involve communities in all interventions – they are cheaper and better Train African women and ill-health and malnutrition will be reduced

POLICIES / MECHANISMS (cont’d) Foster innovation in value chain and equitable access to knowledge Aim at better integration and participatory curriculum development in education Focus on increasing the productivity of agricultural labor (the most abundant resource in Africa Aim at better integration of production and marketing Train your people and build roads as a jump start