Special Issue: AGORA Highlights and Replays

From November 3-5, the World Bank Group Institute for Economic Development, the Bank of Italy, Italy’s Ministry of Economy and Finance, and African partners hosted the Africa Growth and Opportunity: Research in Action conference in Palermo, Italy. Held at the historic Palazzo dei Normanni, the event brought together experts and leaders from Africa and Europe to align research, investment, and policy around one goal: creating jobs and opportunity for Africa’s next generation.

In its inaugural edition, AGORA convened top economists, researchers, private sector leaders, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to explore energy and agribusiness as key themes in the context of job creation. Read the energy and agriculture briefs with key takeaways from the discussions.

See highlights from the conference, watch the recordings of some sessions, and stay tuned for the next AGORA!

Meet the Speakers

See all AGORA Speakers.

Watch the Replay of Some Sessions

Keynote Address: Growth and Opportunity for Africa

Florizelle Liser
President and CEO for Corporate Council for Africa
Watch the replay

Keynote Speech: Jobs Creation in Ghana

Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang
Vice President of Ghana
Watch the replay

Keynote Address: Meeting Africa’s Energy Needs

Jakkie Cilliers
Chairman of the ISS board of Trustees and Head of the African Futures and Innovation Program
Watch the replay

Keynote Address: Agribusiness for Jobs

Agnes Kalibata
Founder and Chair: C4Impact Advisory Group
Watch the replay

TED-style Presentations: Innovation and Technology to Power Africa

Entrepreneurs from Africa and Europe present their innovations and ideas driving impact in agriculture, finance, manufacturing, and technology.
Watch the replay

The Future of Economic Research for Policy

Young researchers from across Africa present data-driven insights on jobs, agriculture, and macroeconomic reform.
Watch the replay

Research in Action

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Accelerating Development Podcast

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Listen to the new episode The Gender Dividend: How Equality Fuels Economic Transformation, which explores research from the African Center for Economic Transformation, one of our partners.

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Other Upcoming Events

Join our events to share knowledge and collaborate.

Rethinking Resilience: Adapting to a Changing Climate
December 2, 2025

Tune in live to learn about the World Bank’s new Policy Research Report: Rethinking Resilience: Adapting to a Changing Climate. Lead author and Senior Economist Forhad Shilpi will unpack a practical, five-part framework—income, information, insurance, infrastructure, and interventions—to help countries better prepare for shocks, recover faster, and build a more secure future. Read more

Subnational B-Ready Report on Italy
December 3, 2025

Join us for the launch of the World Bank Subnational Business Ready (B-Ready) Report on Italy. The Institute for Economic Development and the Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance (EIEF) invite you to join this event to hear the findings of the latest report on Italy’s local business environment. Read more

Expanding the Frontier of Taxation: Technology, Transparency, and Trust
December 5, 2025

The Institute for Economic Development and the Einaudi Institute for Economics and Finance (EIEF) are pleased to invite you to join this event to explore insights from the upcoming World Bank Policy Research Report on Domestic Revenue Mobilization: Expanding the Frontier of Taxation: Technology, Transparency, and Trust. Read more

Growth Academy for Asia
December 15, 2025

The Growth Academy is an intensive program designed to strengthen the interface between research and policy in support of economic growth in middle-income countries. This Growth Academy will convene distinguished researchers and senior policymakers for two days of deep engagement on how to translate knowledge into practical strategies that advance inclusive and sustainable growth. Read more

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