University researchers Abdoulaye Seck and Rajlakshmi Dé are the winners of the "Best Conference Paper" awarded by the organizers of the 9th edition of the African Economic Conference, which came to an end on Monday, November 3 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

They were rewarded for the "quality of their papers" given at the conference, whose theme was "Knowledge and innovation for Africa's transformation". Abdoulaye Seck is the author of the presentation entitled "Has economic growth in WAEMU [West African Economic and Monetary Union] countries benefited from world technology diffusion?", while Rajlakshmi Dé addressed the theme of: "Optimal conditions for innovation: firm-level evidence from Kenya and Uganda".

They were presented with a certificate of excellence at the closing ceremony of the conference in the presence of representatives of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the conference organizers.

The two winners were selected from among a group of seven university researchers who also presented papers at the conference.

The evaluation committee based its judgements principally on the reactions of attendees who followed the presentations during the parallel sessions organised in the conference. Participants were given questionnaires to choose the best paper.

Abdoulaye Seck said he was "honoured" by this award which "encouraged him to redouble his efforts to contribute to reflection and to find solutions to the economic challenges that beset the continent."

This year's conference had 30 presentations made in parallel sessions held throughout the three days.

This 9th edition of the conference brought together policy-makers, business leaders, economists and academics from around the world.

Organised every year by AfDB, UNECA and UNDP, it gives an opportunity to consider how to build on knowledge and innovation for the economic transformation of the continent.