On February 21 and 22, 2024, the West African Center for Banking Studies and Training (COFEB) organized the theoretical workshop for the 2024 edition of its WAEMU researcher capacity-building program on the “Fundamentals of Research Methodology in Economics and Writing a Research Proposal”.

As in previous years, the sessions were chaired by Professor Adama Diaw, Chairman of the Abdoulaye Fadiga Prize Reading Committee. More than 200 researchers from the Union participated, with lectures delivered by Professors Abdoulaye Seck of Cheikh Anta Diop University, Pam Zahonogo of Thomas Sankara University, and Nasser Ary Tanimoune of the University of Ottawa.

The opening ceremony, which was presided over by Patrick Kodjo, General Manager of COFEB, commenced with an address by Professor Diaw, followed by remarks from Mr. Kodjo, with Ndèye Amy Ngom Seck, Director of Research and Partnerships, in attendance. In his address, Professor Diaw expressed his gratitude to the Central Bank authorities for their dedicated actions in promoting research and underscored the significance of the program for research in the Union, emphasizing the necessity of ensuring its sustainability.

In turn, the General Manager of COFEB conveyed the Central Bank’s appreciation to the panel members for their dedication. He went on to welcome the strong interest shown by the African scientific community in this fourth edition. In conclusion, he reaffirmed that the program was set up by COFEB following a recommendation from the Abdoulaye Fadiga Prize (PAF) Reading Committee, with the objective of fostering high-quality research within the Union through improved training of local researchers. He expressed his satisfaction with the results achieved year after year and underscored the importance making the program sustainable.

The two-day session was dedicated to presentations by the organizers on a range of topics, including applied research in economics, fundamental principles of empirical modeling, design and operational management of research projects, scientific communication, and research funding. The discussions were further enriched by various question-and-answer sessions, providing participants with an opportunity to better understand the basic concepts of research project design and conduct, the importance of data relevance, as well as the application of econometric techniques and methodologies.

At the conclusion of the workshop, Demba Dia, Deputy Director of Research and Partnerships, expressed the gratitude of COFEB’s General Management to the facilitators for their outstanding presentations and for sharing their extensive experience as educators, researchers, and evaluators. He also expressed COFEB’s appreciation for the participants’ eagerness to learn, as displayed in particular through their highly relevant contributions, and encouraged them to submit their research papers for the practical phase of the Program, which would be launched shortly.