Gambia’s Dr. Jeggan Senghor and ARI team launch publication
By Edmund Thomas**
London, UK--The Africa Research Institute (ARI) launched a publication on Tuesday 15th December 2009 at St Steven’s Club in Queen Anne’s Gate London. The publication entitled “GOING PUBLIC: How Africa’s integration can work for the poor”, is by a team led by Dr Jeggan C. Senghor, a Gambian Senior Research Fellow at the University of London.
The main contention of the publication is that regional integration schemes in Africa have mainly aimed at promoting economic growth and development in a broad sense but that more concerted effort must be directed at integration for the reduction of poverty among Africa’s teeming millions. Trade, investment and monetary cooperation, in particular, have attracted much attention but it is time for regional public goods to be accorded higher priority. This is the third publication by our compatriot in as many years; his last was The Politics of Senegambian Integration, (1958 – 1994) published by Peter Lang International Academic Publishers in 2008.
The occasion began with a welcome message from the Director of the Institute, Mark Ashurst. This was followed with a question and answer session to Dr Senghor and Mr. Desmond Davis a Sierra Leonean media expert based in London. Parliamentarians, academics, business people, international journalists and a cross section of the British public attended the launch.
Dr. Jeggan C. Senghor has been involved with regional integration and development in Africa for more than three decades. Much of his career was in the United Nations Secretariat where he held posts such as Chief of Cabinet of the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in Addis Ababa, and Director of the ECA Office for West Africa based in Niamey, Niger. He also served for a decade as Director of the United Nations African Institute of Economic Development and Planning (IDEP) in Senegal; during this period he was made a Commander of the Order of the Lion of the Republic of Senegal for his contributions to research and policy on regional integration.
The ARI is an independent think tank that looks for ideas which have worked in Africa and identifies research areas where new ideas are needed. It also aims to reflect, understand and build on the dynamism in Africa today by communicating with policymakers, organisations and companies within and outside the continent.
The Institute is strictly non-partisan and its publications are devoid of jargon and ideology. It strives to avoid any institutional self-interest. The publication is available free of charge from info@africaresearchinstute.org.
**Edmund Thomas is a UK based Gambian journalist. He was a news caster at Radio Gambia and holds a Masters degree in journalism from Cardiff University in Wales.