Unlocking Africa’s economic potential by increasing trade, collaboration and Philanthropy within the commonwealth will be at the forefront of conversations at next months Commonwealth Africa Summit in London.

The Summit aims to spark new thinking on how to promote collective action, achieve shared prosperity and common good for Africans leveraging on their relationship with the commonwealth family of nations. Through a series of discussions the event will encourage dialogue on how to strategies and mobilise valuable African resources that are critical to shaping the continent’s emerging economies.

The 5th in its annual series, the 2018 Commonwealth Africa Summit themed Common Good will have as Keynote Speaker H.E John D Mahama (Former President of Ghana), Amina J Mohammed (UN Deputy Secretary General rep), Ashish Thakkar (founder of Mara Group and Mara Foundation, and he is a co-founder of Atlas Mara), and Former Presidents and serving Vice President from Africa.  

Past speakers at the CAS Summit have included HRH Prince Andrew The Duke of York, Gen. Yakubu Gowon; Rt Hon Baleka Mbete (Speaker of the Parliament of South Africa), Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Baroness Lynda Chalker of Wallasey; Lord Watson of Richmond; Lord Ahmed of Rotherham; Baroness Uddin of Bethnal Green; Simon Walker, Director General of the British Institute of Directors (IOD); Clive Carpenter, Vice Chairman Business Council on Africa; Dr. Caroline Harper CBE – CEO Commonwealth Sightsavers; Sorious Samora; Mr Tonye Cole – CEO Sahara Energy; Ministers of Government, Ambassadors and many other Global Leaders.

The 2018 summit will also feature as panellist a wide array of senior Cabinet Ministers and Chief Executives of corporations from Africa and across the Commonwealth including Henry Sands (SABI Strategy Group), Isha Johansen (President of Sierra Leone Football Association), Muriel Maupoint (CEO Hope for Children), Sally Anne Wilson (CEO Public Media Alliance), Dr. Justina Mutale (Advisory Board Member – World Leaders Forum), Tim Loughton MP, John Penrose MP (UK Prime Minister’s Anti-Corruption Champion), Mark Stoleson (Chief Executive Officer and Partner at Legatum), Martin Realey (CEO Build Africa), Debbie Ariyo (CEO AFRUCA), Tim Wainwright (CEO Water Aid), Paul Smith Lomas MBE (CEO of Practical Action), Dr. Babatope Agbeyo (CEO Cornfield Group and Botosoft Inc), Parminder Vir OBE (CEO Tony Elumelu Foundation), Lord Alan Watson of Richmond (Former Chair of Coca Cola Europe Advisory Board), Dayo Israel (Director of Africa Operations at the Commonwealth Africa Initiative) and many others.

 

Key themes and conversations will include:

How can we beat Africa’s Water Crisis?

Strong Economic Leadership: An imperative for Common Good

From Emerging Markets to Sustainable Market – Creating Sustainable economies across Africa

Africa for Africans: A New Era of Africa Philanthropic Giving and its impact on the continent

Are there disruptive solutions to solving Africa’s Energy and Infrastructural Challenges?

Economic Prosperity, Poverty and Human Trafficking in Africa: Finding lasting solutions

Climate Change: Issues, Priorities and Solutions for the Commonwealth Africa

Will Brexit Translate to opportunities for African Economy

Improving Opportunities for African Women: The role of economic, policy and culture

Beyond Philanthropy: How do we drive more access to finance for Africa’s budding entrepreneurs?

Investing in Africa: Where are the opportunities? Where are the financing gaps? How to successfully direct invest?

Which emerging markets are ripe for next generation of private equity financing?

How can Africa profit from its creative industries?

With more than 400 global and African thought leaders in government and business expected to attend over the three days, the stage will be set for discussion on issues ranging from trade and investment, entrepreneurship, job creation, economic development, health, security and counterterrorism, and energy.

 

Africa’s political future

How Africa’s growing youth population can transform the continent will be the subject of the youth forum taking place on the final day of the Summit. Over 100 key players in the African youth development sector are expected to meet to explore reshaping the agenda for youth participating in political leadership on the continent.

Under the theme: ‘opening the space, taking the place’, the Forum on Africa’s political future will focus on the Agenda 2063 and its aim to socio-economically transform the continent through full implementation of the African Youth Charter. Part of that aim is for full gender parity with women occupying at least 50% of elected public offices.

The event is organised by the Commonwealth Africa Initiative (CAFI) in association with Oxford Business Group, GLEEHD Foundation, APO Group, IC Publications (African Review), Cornfield Group, Ben TV, Phoenix Media Group, Amayew Debrah and other partners. CAFI promotes the socio-economic interest of Africa in the Commonwealth.  

 

To register for the event, visit www.casevents.org/cas2018 or for more information about CAFI’s global chain of events, visit www.casevents.org