Opening Roundtable on Recent Developments in the Franc Zone & the Future of African Economic Integration 26 March 2024 | 18:30-19:30 UTC | La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, Accra

Date & Time: 26 March, 2024; 18:00-19:30 UTC

Venue: La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, Accra

Speakers: Aminata Traoré, Hippolyte Fofack, Ali Zafar, Peter Doyle, Ndongo Samba Sylla. Moderator: Amara Enyia

Join us for a compelling roundtable discussion on the CFA franc zone’s current dynamics, against the background of recent deliberations on potential exits by 3 African countries- Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.

Guided by the moderation of Amara Enyia, our panel brings together an array of expertise. Ndongo Samba Sylla, Senegalese economist and Head of Research & Policy (Africa Region) at IDEAs, offers profound insights into the French “guarantee” and the operational intricacies of West and Central African reserves. Alongside him, Hippolyte Fofack and Ali Zafar distinguished figures from the World Bank and UNDP Africa, contribute their joint research findings to unravel the complexities of the CFA franc’s competitiveness and the imperative for regional convergence. The perspectives of Aminata Traoré and Peter Doyle will enrich our dialogue, promising a multifaceted exploration of the CFA franc’s significance amid geopolitical shifts, including Brexit’s impact on trade preferences. This discourse promises to be essential for understanding the evolving landscape of African monetary integration.