Africa CEO Forum to focus on new economic environment
The official theme of the 2015 Africa CEO Forum, which will take place on 16 and 17 March in Geneva, Switzerland, is 'Africa's new economic environment'.
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The agenda will focus primarily on the development priorities of African businesses. As a matter of fact, this is in line with the original purpose of the forum which, since its inception in 2012, has established itself as the must-attend event for the African private-sector. Approximately 800 decision-makers from Africa and all over the world - including 500 top CEOs from over 30 African countries - will be attending the forum.
Africa's economic outlook will be discussed in depth, particularly at the opening plenary session. Experts and delegates will discuss the growth paths of Africa's economies over the next five years. The time for this discussion is more relevant than ever: several African countries have been weakened by falling oil and mineral prices while others, which are less dependent on raw materials, are seeing new opportunities open up. It remains to be seen exactly what and where these new opportunities are, and how they can be leveraged.
Crucial factor
The 2015 Africa CEO Forum will also address the subject of Africa's competitiveness, which is a crucial factor for businesses. The organisers - led by Groupe Jeune Afrique and the African Development Bank - have decided to tackle the issue of the famous Doing Business index, which, every year, measures progress in the business environment of 189 countries.
The question that will be asked is very simple: why is Africa lagging behind (there are 36 African countries in the bottom 50) when Georgia, which is also an emerging economy, has climbed 100 places in eight years and is now in the top ten?
The urban explosion in Africa will also be high on the agenda at the forum. The focus here will not be on questions of urban planning, but rather what share of the 25 billion dollars-a-year consumer market African businesses can tap into, and under what conditions. Because of their invaluable grass-roots knowledge of transport, networks of all kinds, trade, planning, building and other new sectors in Africa, they could play a decisive role in structuring African cities and making them more productive.
The Forum will also feature thematic conferences and practical seminars. Led by experts from Africa and all over the world, they will give the participants an opportunity to discuss growth sectors and the latest trends in business management and development.
