“Regional Integration – the critical condition for enterprise development”. 25-26 February 2010 Kampala Serena Hotel – Kampala Uganda.
Concept Note

Background and justification

In this era of globalization and economic recession, enterprises continue to grapple with devising approaches not only for survival, but for innovative growth as well. To meet these challenges economies of the world are being increasingly integrated. This is particularly important for regional integration which developing countries consider as a critical condition for competitive enterprise development and as a part of a wider strategy in promoting economic growth and social development. It has been argued that effective regional integration will increase company competitiveness, reduce transaction costs, enable firms to exploit economies of scale, encourage inward foreign investment and facilitate macroeconomic policy coordination. A regionally coherent liberalization strategy will reduce the costs of economic adjustment in the face of globalization, both for private and public sectors as well as improve conditions for private enterprise development, particularly for SMEs. It would also facilitate the net trade creation as long as it is coupled with trade liberalization and where emphasis is put on reducing costly trade barriers which simply waste resources. Regional economic integration may be an important precondition for integrating developing countries into the world economy by minimizing the transaction costs and market fragmentation.

Conference objectives and description

To that end the Federation of Uganda Employers (FUE) in collaboration with ILO, IOE, PEC and other partners is organizing an East Central and Southern Africa Employers Conference from 25-26 February 2009 at Kampala Serena Hotel – Kampala Uganda. The theme is “Regional Integration – the critical condition for enterprise development”. 

The objectives of the conference are;

• to enable Employers Organizations (EOs)  manage and help their members overcome economic challenges.
• to propose possible strategies and approaches for raising enterprise competitiveness in difficult times
• to share experiences on how EOs  and their members could benefit from regional Integration

 The sub themes to be handled include;

• The policies of EOs, regional & international bodies in enterprise development
• How to manage, sustain and develop businesses during crises
• The role and contents of labor market information in facilitating investment promotion.
• Harnessing regional and international markets

 Target Group

The Conference will be bringing together Presidents / Chairpersons, Board Members and COEs of Employers Organizations from East Central and Southern Africa, representatives of enterprises and companies, International and Regional Trade Organizations and Bodies.

Resource person and experts

They will be drawn from International Consultants, The IOE, ILO, Ministry of East African Affairs, EU, COMESA, SADAC, EABC and PEC who will present their views, experiences and cases, including country specific papers. Cases from selected enterprises in the region will be presented as well.

Expected results and Follow-up requirements

1. Deeper understanding on how to harness benefits and contribute into regional integration 
2. Appreciation of the role to be played in fostering enterprise competitiveness come up with a common position on issues affecting Employers in ECSA to be discussed at the ILO Conference in June 2010.