Seminar
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A UPADD-conference was held in Lomé, Togo, at the beginning of april. With support from the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation the west africa branch of UPADD invited its junior leaders to get to know the concept of social market economy and to discuss its pros and cons. The conference was hosted by the CAR (Comité pour le Renouveau), political party of Togo and member of UPADD.
The conference was inaugurated solemnly. Togos Prime Minister, Yayowi Agboyibo, adressed the audience, as well as the Geman Ambassador, Mr. Kolb, the Representative of the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation, Mr. Robert, and the First Vice President of the CAR, Mr. Hegbor. Members of the cabinet and the diplomatic body took part in the opening ceremony, as well as civil society activists and traditional authorities.
After the opening ceremony, the sustantial work began. To introduce the subject, Dr. Klaus Lippold, deputy of the german parliament, presented an overview of the historic and politico-economic background of the social market economy in Germany. Afterwards, Prof. Gilbert Mèdjè, Benin, Prof. Mathieu C. Mablé, Togo, and Prof. Mouftaou Laleye, Benin, adressed the complexities and challenges the west african economies are facing. The main actors in a social market economy were the focus of the subsequent lecture, again presented by the german expert. The talks were generally followed by animate discussions between the participants and the experts. Finally the group approached the relationship between economy and ethics, between private and public interests.
The seminar endet with a public closing event and a press conference. The participants used the opportunity to express their gratitude towards the organizers of the conference, the Comité d’Action pour le Renouveau (CAR) and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAF). They highly appreciated the approach of facilitating the fruitful exchange between young leaders and experienced experts.
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