Call for Research Proposals/abstracts for the 10^th EPRN Annual Research Conference 

Theme: Rethinking effective policies towards inclusive, sustainable and resilient development in Rwanda

27^th -28^th June 2024, Kigali Rwanda

1. Introduction  

Through its Vision 2050, Rwanda aspires to become an upper-middle income country by 2035, and a high-income country by 2050. Specifically, this means that the GDP per capita will be over USD 4,036 by 2035 and over USD 12,476 by 2050. Rwanda will build on the strong progress made in reducing poverty over the last two decades, reducing the poverty rate from 78% after 1994 to 38% in 2017, with the aim of eliminating poverty altogether. This will also be achieved through ensuring all walks of society have increased opportunities to contribute to national development, including by growing investments in human capital and ensuring universal access to amenities, safety and security. All youth, women, men, people with disabilities and elderly people will contribute as actors of sustainable development, ensuring that no one is left behind in benefiting from development. Vision 2050 is informed by the aspiration of Rwandans of leaving to Rwandan children a better world to live in.

As such, growth and development will follow a sustainable path in terms of use and management of natural resources while building resilience to cope with natural, economic, political and climate related shocks. Rwanda targets to become a green, climate resilient and low carbon economy by 2050. These aspirations will continue to be embedded in Rwanda’s long term Green Growth and Climate Resilient Strategy (GGCRS) whose impact is intended to bring about mind-set and developmental transformation in Rwandan society that is necessary to achieve the desired carbon-neutral and climate resilient economy. Efficient use of land across sectors will be guided by the National Land Use and Development Master Plan (2020-2050).

To achieve the Vision’s targets, Rwanda needs to transform the structure of its economy to respond to current challenges imposed by technological progress and climate change. Furthermore, Rwanda has to overcome the limits of its small domestic market and landlocked position and find its place in global and regional value chains.  

2. About the 10^th Economic Research Conference 

The Economic Policy Research Network and partners are organizing a 10^th Economic Research Conference under the following theme: “Reimagining effective policies towards inclusive, sustainable and resilient development in Rwanda”. 

This theme is subdivided into the following sub-themes to which Research Papers to be presented will be aligned: 

• Green economy and climate change resilience
• Economic transformation and development
• Enhance productive capacities
• Education and human capital development
• Agriculture development
• Effective fiscal and tax policies to stimulate investments and long-term growth
• Regional integration and potentials of the AFCTA

This high-level and interactive 2-day research conference is expected to bring together more than 200 participants, including researchers, senior policymakers, representatives of the development partners, civil society, private sector and the media. During the conference, research papers and reports related to conference sub-themes will be presented and discussed. Policy recommendations will be formulated and shared with concerned institutors as a contribution towards boosting Rwanda’s economic resilience during the current socio-economic shocks. 

3. Venue, Dates and Logistics    

The 10^th Research Conference is scheduled on 27th-28^th June 2024 in Kigali (Venue to be confirmed and communicated soon). Lunches will be served to all participants at the conference venue and catered for by EPRN. EPRN will not cover accommodation and transport of participants. 

4. Guidelines

The following guidelines are for the abstracts to be submitted for the 10^th Economic Research Conference.

Abstract of maximum 500 words should include:

• Background and purpose: description of the problem, study objectives, research question(s) and/or hypotheses;
• Methods: study design, including a description of participants and selection strategies, data collection procedures, measures, and approaches to analysis;
• Conclusions and implications: description of expected results and policy implications.

EPRN Rwanda encourages researchers to submit abstracts related to one of the sub-themes above, which, once accepted, will be developed into a full paper. Abstracts must be original, in English and submitted in Word or PDF format to: info@eprnrwanda.org  and conference2024@eprnrwanda.org and copy to ed@eprnrwanda.org. A researcher may submit more than one abstract; and a team of researchers may submit a joint abstract.

5. Key Dates 

• Deadline for abstract submission: Thursday 02^nd November 2023 (by 5 pm CAT)
• Notification of acceptance of proposals by the selection committee: 17^th November 2023
• Deadline for initial submission of full draft papers: 26^th April 2024 (by 5 pm CAT)
• Comments from external reviewers sent to researchers: 10^th May 2024
• Submission of final papers: 31^th May 2024 (by 5 pm CAT)
• Final notification on acceptance of a paper for conference presentation: 14^th June 2023
• 9^th EPRN Research Conference: 27^th-28^th June 2023

6. Contacts  

For more information, contact us through: info@eprnrwanda.org or ed@eprnrwanda.org OR Phone number (office): +250788357648. You may also visit our website: www.eprnrwanda.org. 

Done at Kigali, October 02^nd, 2023