Social cohesion in Africa

Social cohesion was the topic of the latest edition of the Perspectives on Global Development report which every year, identifies analyses and provides workable policy solutions for a pressing global development challenge. Having focused on major macroeconomic changes occurring in the world economy – what we call “Shifting Wealth” - in 2010, the PGD report now turns to the challenge of how we can build more cohesive societies in the new global context. As part of this initiative, The OECD Development Centre jointly organised with the Haut-Commissariat au plan du Maroc an Experts' meeting on social cohesion in Africa, in Morocco on 13 April 2011. The event gathered about 60 people with various profiles (policy makers, academics and experts, civil society representatives, etc.) and from various African countries (Senegal, Kenya, Morocco, etc.) to discuss the link between social cohesion and development.The objective of this event was to identify the main challenges and opportunities faced by Africa in building social cohesion and furthering progress. On this occasion, the OECD Development Centre presented the preliminary results of the Perspectives on Global Development 2011 on social cohesion. The presentation was followed by fruitful discussions and the Centre received constructive feedback on its work.

The meeting featured 4 sessions:

• The first session examined the relationship between social cohesion and development.
• The second session was dedicated to the identification of innovative measures of social cohesion.
• The third session looked at a particular area of public policy: youth employment through the lenses of social cohesion.
• The final session gathered policy makers to exchange best practices and experiences on policy issues related to social cohesion.

Get all the information, agenda and presentations 
http://www.oecd.org/document/35/0,3746,en_2649_33731_47481443_1_1_1_1,00.html