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Registration up and running for the PACF conference in Addis Ababa

1st Pan African Competitiveness Forum
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 14-16 April 2008
African Union (AU) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) will in collaboration with The Competitiveness Institute (TCI) host the 1st Pan African Competitiveness Forum (PACF) from the 14-16 April 2008. The Forum will bring together 200 African stakeholders involved in innovation and cluster based competitiveness initiatives.
Continuous efforts by very active stakeholders made possible to launch the Pan African Competitiveness Forum (PACF) officially with this event as the new continent-wide competence and action center for innovation and cluster based competitiveness approaches to national, regional and even continental economic development.

To enable an effective response to the challenges for African economies– and to seize the opportunities offered by global competition - in the past two years a number of lead proponents of innovation and cluster based competitiveness initiatives in Africa have successfully crafted a joint foundation for collaboration and learning. It is on this foundation that PACF will be launched as a new continent-wide competence and action center on innovation and cluster based competitiveness initiatives in Africa.

The 3-day conference in Addis Ababa will focus on:

• Innovation and cluster based competitiveness: Its role in poverty reduction and sustainable economic growth and development.
• Global best practices for promotion of value addition in production and competitiveness through innovation and cluster based competitiveness initiatives.
• Meeting challenges and seizing opportunities: Good practice and achievements in Africa.
• The roles of business, academia and government in developing, facilitating and sustaining innovation and cluster based competitiveness initiatives. Does the triple helix work differently in developing countries? Examples of where the triple helix is working in Africa.
• How can PACF support local, regional and national competitiveness initiatives?
• Pursuing joint objectives: PACF collaboration and activities; roles and responsibilities.

With the help of this Forum, a strategic plan and work programme for 2009-11 will be developed, emphasizing the need to ensure PACF's collaborative sustainability – and how PACF can become a facility for reinforcing industrialization, innovation, value addition in production and competitiveness in Africa. The African Union will play a key role in both the development and implementation of the work programme. Sida will provide technical assistance and other facilitation support.

If you are interested in participating in the conference please register online at the following link: Registration for Addis Ababa.

Registration fees: USD 700 for local, regional and national participants. USD 1200 for international participants.

Subject to availability of funds the organisers will sponsor in part or in full participation costs.

For more information and a preliminary programme of the conference visit www.pacf2008.com or e-mail registration @ pacf2008.com

The program will be updated regularly as we confirm speakers and topics, so please check the website from time to time.
For questions regarding PACF you may also contact:
tw @ innogate.net