Sponsored by the World Bank and organized by Shenzhen University，the conference “South-South Experience Exchange between East Asia and Africa on Special Economic Zones and Competitive Clusters in china” was hosted on May 9～12，2009 in Shenzhen. Many delegates attended this conference，including 14 senior officials and experts of the World Bank，17 senior officials from Ghana and other 9 African countries who are responsible for special economic zones，economic development plans and investment & trade promotion and 20 experts and scholars from Beijing，Guangzhou and Shenzhen，China. Domestic and overseas scholars gathered together to exchange research achievement and discuss experience in special economic zones & competitive clusters and its reference to African countries.

Senior officials and experts of the World Bank attending this conference were Ms. Marilou Jane Uy，the Sector Director of AFTFP in Africa Region，Mr. Philip Karp，the Lead Specialist/WBI Regional Coordinator of World Bank Institute，and other senior officials and experts from the United States，France，Malaysia，Uganda，United Kingdom，the Philippines，Canada，Morocco，Peru and Cape Verde and other countries. African Senior officials were from 10 African countries：Ghana，Nigeria，Senegal，Liberia，Gambia，Uganda，Zambia，Mozambique，Lesotho and Mauritius. They were responsible for special economic zones，economic development plans and investment & trade promotion in their countries respectively. Some of them were Mr.Ysupha Kah，the Permanent Secretary and Ministry of Finance of Planning and Economic Development in Gambia，Mr. Nanda Narrainen，the Assistant Director of Board of Investment in Mauritius，Mr. Chris. O. Ndibe，the General Manager of Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority，Hon. Mr. David Carew，Minister of Trade in Sierra Leone，Ms. Aminata Niane，Director-General，National Agency for Investment Promotion and Major Projects of Senegal，and CEO of Gambia Investment Promotion and Free Zone Agency. Domestic scholars attending the conference were Yansheng Zhang，the Diretor of the International Economy Research Institute which affiliated to the National Development and Reform Commission，Xiaoxi Li，the Dean of Institute of Economic and Resources Management of Beijing Normal University，Dinghuan Hu，a researcher in the Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development in the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences（CAAS），Jun Wang，the Director of Yet-sen University for Social Sciences，and Prof. Jian Zhong，Prof. Yiming Yuan，Prof. Longqi Cao，Prof. Dongbin Su，Prof. Yitao Tao of Shenzhen University China Center for Special Economic Zone Research.