Invest Africa (www.InvestAfrica.com), a leading pan-African trade and investment platform, will convene the 10th annual Africa Debate on 6th June at the Guildhall, London, under the theme of “Africa’s role in a changing global order.” The Africa Debate is London’s leading Africa-focused investment forum.

Headline speakers include Samaila Zubairu, President and Chief Executive Officer, Africa Finance Corporation; Dr Akinwumi Adesina, President, African Development Bank Group; The Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell MP, Deputy Foreign Secretary and Minister of State (Development and Africa), Foreign, Commonwealth&Development Office;  Diana Layfield, Chair, British International Investment; Zeinab Badawi, President of SOAS, University of London; and Idris Elba, Actor, Filmmaker, Musician, Entrepreneur, and Activist; amongst other leaders from government and private enterprise.

Africa Finance Corporation, the leading infrastructure solutions provider in Africa, is Headline Partner for the Forum. Additional partners include Absa, The African Export-Import Bank, Africa HR Solutions, Arise IIP, Brand South Africa, Crown Agents Bank, DLA Piper, Genesis Energy Group, IPT Africa, Moody’s Ratings, Plantations et Huileries du Congo, Standard Chartered and Xcalibur Smart Mapping.  

“In the lead-up to the 10th anniversary of The Africa Debate, I have been reflecting on Africa’s rising prominence on the world stage,” said Chantelé Carrington, Chief Executive Officer of Invest Africa. “Now, more than ever before, Africa is stepping into its own as a global leader, equipped with immense natural capital and a burgeoning population and primed to become a major pole of global economic activity. Join us on 6th June for a day of debates on Africa’s role in a changing global order, and let’s explore how we can collectively advance our trifecta themes for this year’s conference: Trade, Investment, and Leadership on the continent.”

As part of The Africa Debate programme, Invest Africa will host a Morocco Investment Forum on 5th June in partnership with the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in the United Kingdom. The Forum will provide a unique platform for the visiting delegation of Moroccan government officials and businesses to brief attendees on key sectors ripe for investment, as well as recent reforms and policies aimed at nurturing an investor-friendly environment.

To attend the 10th edition of The Africa Debate and wider programme register here (http://apo-opa.co/4dJfPoP). Use the discount code AD_20 to receive a 20% discount off the standard ticket price.

The Africa Debate will be on-the-record and open to media.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Invest Africa.

About Invest Africa: 
Invest Africa is a leading pan-African business platform that promotes trade and investment across the continent. With over sixty years of experience, our network is made up of more than 400 multinational corporations, private investors, fund managers, family offices, government bodies, policy makers and entrepreneurs. Together they share our desire to build opportunity across the African continent. As the trusted entry point into Africa, we support and connect business and investment through a unique range of services, from leading business conferences and bespoke trade and investment missions to sector-specific event programmes and consultancy projects. For more information: www.InvestAfrica.com

About The Africa Debate: 
The conference is London’s leading investment summit focused on Africa. Now in its 10th year, this edition will focus on Africa’s role in a changing global order, with speakers discussing and debating the continent’s trade and investment landscape, as well as its leadership position on the international stage. The event will convene global businesses, private and public investment bodies, thought leaders, and policy makers for a series of conversations on Africa’s role in the world. For more information: www.theafricadebate.com

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has this afternoon arrived in Kenya’s capital Nairobi for a State visit at the invitation of President William Ruto. The President’s visit aims at strengthening the longstanding bilateral relations between Uganda and Kenya and exploring new avenues for collaboration and mutual benefits. On arrival, President Museveni was received at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by a delegation from the Kenyan government led by the Hon. Dr. Musalia Mudavadi , the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs. On the Ugandan side, he was welcomed by Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of East African Community Affairs among other dignitaries.

President Museveni’s visit signifies the commitment of both leaders to foster regional integration, enhance economic cooperation, and promote stability within the East African region. During his stay, the President will engage in high-level discussions with President Ruto and other Kenyan government officials. The discussions will cover a wide range of topics, including trade and investment, infrastructure development, security cooperation and regional integration. The visit is expected to strengthen the economic ties between Uganda and Kenya, with a focus on removing barriers to trade and fostering an enabling business environment. The leaders will explore opportunities for increased investment and collaboration, aiming to harness the full potential of the East African region.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Republic of Uganda – Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Recognising women the role they deserve in society is one of the priorities of this century: both women and men together have the responsibility to fight for an inclusive society where everyone is granted the same respect, pay and rights.

The Italian Public Service Broadcaster, Rai – Radio Televisione Italiana – partners with the African Union of Broadcasting, AUB to face this challenge with a shared training program for media professionals: an opportunity to deepen knowledge and exchange best practices between colleagues from Europe, Africa, and Asia.

The training course is entitled “Gender Equality – Women Empowerment”.  Participants mainly from the African Media and the civil society will focus on policies and collaborative initiatives adopted by public service broadcasters to affirm the role of women in working contexts, in the audio-visual sector, both on and off screen. Regulatory frameworks, strategies for participative democracy, and best practices will be the subject of in-depth analysis.

The course is structured in four online webinars of ninety minutes each. Participants and specialists will interact during Q&A sessions.

Participants will meet online with more than twenty high level experts from Rai, other public service broadcasters (Spain, Great Britain, Denmark, Georgia, and Australia), and media Organizations such as African Union of broadcasting (AUB), the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU).

“Gender equality is one of the most relevant and urgent milestones of civil society, included among the UN Sustainable Development Goals – says Simona Martorelli, Director of Rai Department of International Relations, and European Affairs – and the promotion of equal opportunities and inclusion is part of Rai’s mission as a public service broadcaster” as well as the AUB’s.

Registration on www.UAR-AUB.org

Grégoire NDJAKA
Director General

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Union of Broadcasting (AUB).

Minister of Hydrocarbons of the Republic of Congo (ROC) Bruno Jean-Richard Itoua shed light on the country’s oil and gas development plans on Wednesday, as the Invest in African Energy forum in Paris came to a close.

The Minister confirmed that the government is prioritizing the formation of a gas master plan and comprehensive gas code and will establish a national gas company by Q3 2024. ROC has successfully fast-tracked the development of several large-scale LNG projects in recent months, including Eni’s Congo LNG and Wing Wah’s multi-phase Banga Kayo projects.

“Gas will be transformed mainly for the local market. Gas, LPG, LNG – this is the main target. If there is any excess, then we will export it. In terms of exporting, it will not be for Europe, but for the sub-region, where the needs are also very high,” stated Minister Itoua.

The Congolese Minister underscored the role of public-private sector cooperation in advancing integrated gas projects and driving upstream investment, with a view to increasing production and achieving market stability – targeting as much as a 60% oil production increase in one to two years. The country has also seen recent merger and acquisition activity, with Trident Energy acquiring Congolese assets from Chevron and TotalEnergies last month.

“Maybe 95% of investment in the oil sector in the Congo comes from the IOCs,” said the Minister. “Our responsibility [as the government] is to create the best business environment, best legal network and best facilities to attract investors and partners interested in building solutions with us.”

Speaking on the intersection between energy security and transition, Minister Itoua positioned universal access to electricity and clean cooking as key priorities for ROC and the continent.

“Our starting point is to solve energy poverty – not only for ourselves, but for the world. Is energy security in opposition to the energy transition? No – we can do both at the same time.”

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Energy Capital&Power.