The 5th Annual Commonwealth Africa Summit comes to London

Sierra Leone Telegraph: 20 February 2018:

The 5th Annual Commonwealth Africa Summit will take place in London from the 12th – 15th March 2018, under the theme: Common Good. The event will spark new thinking on how to achieve Shared Prosperity and Common Good for Africans; and how Africa’s growing youth population can transform the continent.

More than 300 global and African thought leaders, eminent and emerging leaders from Africa and other parts of the Commonwealth, and friends of Africa will converge at this year’s summit.

The summit will seek to promote the benefits and interests of all, through improved collective action for the common good of humanity – within and outside the commonwealth.

The event is annually hosted as part of activities to celebrate the Commonwealth Week in London.

The Commonwealth Africa Summit provides an opportunity, not just to contribute to re-imagining what the continent might be, but an opportunity to network, strategize and mobilise valuable resources, so as to bring the Africa Dream to fruition.

“Vukuzenzele! Let’s Get Up and Do It,” says Lord Paul Boateng of Akyem and Wembley, Chairman of the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund.

“Africa must leverage on its relationship with other parts of the world to enrich and develop her countries. Constituting the highest bloc of the commonwealth member countries undoubtedly provides a strategic advantage with a huge development potential that must be fully explored”, says Chad Blackman, the Co-Chair of the 2018 Summit steering committee.

“The numbers associated with the Commonwealth are staggering. More than two billion of the world’s seven billion people live within the commonwealth. With many of its member states still developing or yet to develop appreciably, the potential for the future is obvious if the trade and collaboration within the commonwealth is increased and this will be at the forefront of conversations in London”.

The event will encourage dialogue on how to strategize and mobilise valuable African resources that are critical to shaping the continent’s emerging economies

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

The 5th in its annual series, the 2018 Commonwealth Africa Summit themed Common Good will have as Keynote Speaker H.E. John Dramani Mahama (Former President of Ghana), Amina J Mohammed (UN Deputy Secretary General), H.E. Senator Bukola Saraki (Senate President of Nigeria), Dr. Hassan Ahmed Hilal (Minister of Environment Sudan), Chief Mrs. Folorunso Alakija (Vice Chair – Famfa Oil), Rt. Hon. Mia Amor Mottley MP (Leader of  Opposition and Former Deputy Prime Minister of Barbados), Dr. Babatope Agbeyo (Chairman Cornfield Group) and others to be announced soon.

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); 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 Dr. Hassan Ahmed Hilal (Minister of Environment Sudan), Kate Osamor (UK Shadow Secretary for International Development), Ms. Vivienne Yeda (Director General – East African Development Bank), Mark Pursey (CEO BTP Advisers), 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).

Other panellists will include: 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 (Africa Regional Director, Commonwealth Africa Initiative), Odein Ajumogobia (Former Minister of Foreign Affairs Nigeria), Lord Hughes of Woodside (Chair of the British Anti-Apartheid Movement (AAM)), Paul Kunert (CEO Joule Africa), Dr. V B Narayanamurthy (Professor, India), Sidney Yankson (CEO Ghana Capital Partners Ltd), Dr. Amy Jadesinmi (CEO LADOL Energy), Elikem Nutifafa Kuenyehia (CEO ENS Ghana), Paul Kunert, DJ Cuppy Otedola, Dr. Ken Ikpe, Mark Tierney, Helen Tarnoy (Founder, Managing Director Aldwych International Ltd), Mr. Omar Selim (CEO Arabeque), Edward George (Country Head, UK Representative Office – ECOBANK Group), 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 economy, 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 300 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.

Day 2 of the 2018 CAS Summit on March 14th will feature the CAFI Forum on Africa’s Political Future. “Over 100 key players in the African youth development sector will meet on the side-lines of the Summit to deliberate on reshaping the agenda for youth participation in political leadership on the continent” says Atieno Opondo a senior member of the steering Committee.

The Forum theme: “Opening the space, taking the place” is hosted as part of a series of conscious efforts and action plans to fulfil the aspirations of the Agenda 2063.

The Summit will also feature a Gala and Award Dinner to celebrate the contributions of Eminent and Emerging leaders to Africa’s growth story; as well as One to One Business meetings between investors and Entrepreneurs.

The event is organised by the Commonwealth Africa Initiative (CAFI) in association with Oxford Business Group, GLEEHD Foundation, APO Group, IC Publications (African Review), Botosoft Cornfield Group, Ben TV, Phoenix Media Group, Ghana Society, 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

For exhibition, contact: Secretariat@CommonwealthAfrica.com.

To find out more about the event: www.CommonwealthAfrica.com

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