Investment and Job Creation in Africa

Recent German and international policy initiatives such as the Compact with Africa or the Marshall Plan with Africa all have had a strong focus on promoting (foreign) private investment for job creation. The development success of these initiatives hinges on their ability to create decent work in African countries and overcome skills shortages at the same time. To address both of these dimensions, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) has introduced the Special Initiative on Training and Job Creation. But what do we know about the optimal design and effectiveness of policy measures aimed at promoting decent work? Which experiences from other world regions can be useful for African countries to draw on? How well do investment promotion measures do in terms of attracting investment, and ultimately creating jobs?

After an introduction to the BMZ’s Special initiative by Gerhard Ressel, Jochen Kluve will provide insights into what we do (and do not) know about the employment effects of labour market interventions. Jann Lay, meanwhile, will shed light on what we do (and do not) know about promoting private investment to create jobs.

Speakers: Dr. Gerhard Ressel is in charge of employment issues at the BMZ. Within the Special Initiative on Training and Job Creation, he is responsible for accompanying research and impact evaluation.

Prof. Dr. Jochen Kluve heads the Evaluation Unit at the KfW Development Bank. In his previous position as the head of the RWI Institute’s Research Programme on Labour Markets, Prof. Kluve oversaw various evaluations of labour market interventions.

Apl. Prof. Dr. Jann Lay heads the Research Programme "Growth and Development" at the GIGA. He is currently focusing on interlinkages between investment policies and employment in the research project "RéUsSITE – Research Support to the Special Initiative on Training and Job Creation."

Moderation: Tabea Lakemann is a Research Fellow at the GIGA Institute for African Affairs and member of the GIGA Research Programme “Growth and Development”. She works mainly on African labour markets, private sector development, and recent Africa Policy Initiatives.