10 November 2020

  Online seminar  Overview: The rapid and emergency purchases to address the global pandemic, has exposed vulnerabilities in procurement systems that were already prone to fraud and corruption. Significant amounts of money have been flowing through global financial systems in the form of debt relief, loans from multilateral institutions and government stimulus packages with a reduction of oversight in emergency and fast-tracked public procurement procedures. This webinar is part of an SME acceleration research project which aims to examine the local and national governance mind sets regarding work ethics, accountability, corruption, entitlement, and Local Economic Development oversight. It also aims to assess the capacity of national governments and local economies to facilitate effective smart globally competitive African SME’s in the post COVID-19 era. South Korea is relevant to this critical study as it maintains a strong record of SME growth, and has remained a constructive development partner to the African continent.  PROGRAM CHAIR: Professor Narnia Bohler-Muller, Human Sciences Research Council  OPENING AND WELCOME Professor Aggrey Ambali, Director, Technical Cooperation and Program Funding, African Union Development Agency – New Partnership for African Development  ACADEMIC ADDRESS Professor Sope Williams-Elegbe, University of Stellenbosch  KEYNOTE ADDRESS H.E. Dr. Jong-dae Park, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to South Africa  SCHOLARS PANEL:  Chair: Francis Ikome, Chief of the Regional Integration Section, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa  Professor Jaehoon Lee Hankuk University of Foreign Studies  Advocate Gary Pienaar Human Sciences Research Council  CLOSING REMARKS: Mrs Florence Nazare, Head of Technical Cooperation and Partnerships, African Union Development Agency – New Partnership for African Development  For more information: http://www.hsrc.ac.za/en/events/seminars/impact-corruption-on-sme-growth-in-africa