The UK-Africa Forum: Trade, Policy and Reform
Join Invest Africa for the UK-Africa Trade Forum on 15th June. Bringing together policy and business leaders from across the UK and the Continent, the Forum will examine the future of UK-Africa trade and avenues for policy reform.
Our Partners:
Programme:
09:00 Welcome: Karen Taylor, CEO, Invest Africa
09:05 Keynote Address: James Duddridge MP, Minister for Africa, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, UK
09:15 Sanjeev Gupta, Executive Director, Africa Finance Corporation in conversation with Emma Wade-Smith OBE, Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Africa, Department for International Trade (DIT)
09:45 Panel Session: Generation Africa: Creating an Enabling and Sustainable Environment for Economic Growth
To create enabling environments for sustainable growth Africa needs significant investment into social infrastructure as well as an ambitious expansion of transport and energy networks. As the impact of Covid-19 negatively impacts government balance sheets, the role of the private sector in driving development in these areas will be critical. Sustainability must be at the centre of investments from social housing and healthcare to logistics and transport if the Continent is to set itself on a path to long-term recovery. Creating enabling governance environments must be a priority to drive capital from institutional investors and private equity firms as well as DFIs and impact investors into sustainable infrastructure projects.
Discussion points:
What are the governance priorities to make it easier for international capital to invest in African social infrastructure?
How can institutional investors, and particularly pension funds, play a larger role in funding sustainable infrastructure in Africa?
What potential is there for sustainable financial products such as green bonds to be leveraged in social infrastructure projects?
How can more investment be driven towards housing and social services infrastructure?
Would it be helpful to have a unified set of ESG principles across financial institutions?
Can renewable energy achieve the scale to power economic development in Africa?
Moderator:
Mohan Vivekanandan, Group Executive: Origination & Client Coverage, Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)
Speakers:
Cheryl Buss, CEO, Absa International
Hennie Heymans, CEO, Express, Sub-Saharan Africa, DHL
Jayne Mammatt, Partner, PwC
Stefan Zingerle, Co-CEO, Casa Orascom
10:45 Break
11:00 Hon. Ken Ofori-Atta, Minister of Finance, Republic of Ghana in conversation with Rt. Hon. Mark Simmonds, Chairman Advisory Board, Invest Africa
11:30 Panel Session: Education Reform and Capacity Development in Africa
Covid-19 shutdowns have had a profound impact on education across the globe. With weaker technological infrastructure, lower budgets, and many children in ‘learning poverty’ before the pandemic took hold, African students found themselves in a particularly vulnerable position. While shining a light on the structural weaknesses in the Continent’s education systems, the current crisis has also demonstrated that rapid uptake of new learning solutions is possible and highlighted the crucial role that education plays as the cornerstone of development and socially inclusive growth. In this session we’ll explore policy solutions for African education systems, discuss how blended finance can best support training and education and examine how technology can bridge gaps to learning.
Discussion points:
With increased pressure on national budgets, how can governments leverage social impact bonds to fund education?
What technological solutions can governments utilise to expand access to education?
How can curriculums be designed to prepare Africa’s young people for the future of work?
What more can be done to support the most underserved students in Africa? What policies will widen access to education for women and girls?
What training and capacity building programmes are needed to unlock Africa’s demographic dividend?
Where is development finance most effective in supporting investment into education in Africa?
Speakers:
Kirsty Chadwick, Group CEO, TTRO
Leandro Cuccioli, Head of Consumer, Healthcare, Education & Business Services, CDC Group
Robert Lewis, Managing Associate, Mishcon de Reya
Angela Ney, CEO, Forever Learn
Ido Sum, Partner, TLcom Capital LLP
12:30 Mo Ibrahim, Founder and Chair, Mo Ibrahim Foundation in conversation with Godfrey Mutizwa, Editor-in-Chief, CNBC Africa
13:00 Panel Session: International Trade and Finance
Amid continuing tensions between the United States and China, the United Kingdom’s attempts to redefine its trading relationship with Europe and the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, global trade and finance stand at a crossroads. As Africa looks to build the largest free trade area in the world, the Continent has confirmed its commitment to free trade, against the direction of travel in many other markets. On this panel, we will discuss the future of global trade and finance policy with decision makers from banks, traders, exporters, corporates, underwriters, ECAs and DFIs engaged on projects on the Continent.
Discussion points:
How has Covid-19 impacted international trade and finance flows?
What sources of international finance are under-utilised in Africa? Can they play a role in the Continent’s recovery?
Will the AfCFTA change Africa’s position on the global trade stage?
What is the realistic timeline to begin to see the benefits of the AfCFTA?
How will rising oil and commodity prices impact African trade? Are we heading for a commodity super cycle?
Moderator:
Nisrin Abouelezz, Managing Director, Head of Africa Group, SMBC Bank International
Speakers:
Jonathan Brenton, Head of International Trade, Pernod Ricard
Denys Denya, Executive Vice President - Finance, Administration and Banking Services, Africa Export-Import Bank
Kuseni Dlamini, Chairman of the Board, Massmart Holdings
14:00 Closing remarks
