AfCFTA: Ghana To Host Africa’s Political, Business, Social Sector Leaders

Africa’s political, business and social sector leaders will be hosted between January 26 to January 28, 2023 in Ghana at the maiden edition of the Africa Prosperity Dialogues.

The conference is under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat.

An initiative of the Africa Prosperity Network (APN), the Dialogue series were expected to bring Africa’s political and business leaders, as well as other thought leaders on Africa, together in the conference.

According to the organisers, the leaders are not only to brainstorm on the all-important single market project for the continent, but also to create an annual platform for the continent’s leaders to spearhead the collaborative implementation of the all-important Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement.

“It is a recognition that, for it to work, there must be a shared ownership of the objectives of AfCFTA, particularly with businesses big and small, right from the onset,” the organisers stated.

In recent times, global geopolitical issues have exposed Africa’s over-reliance on the global supply chain and natural resources export, and highlighted the imperative for Africa to seriously consider how to strengthen capacity for greater intra-Africa reliance and cushion herself against exogenous shocks from events beyond her control.

The Africa Prosperity Dialogues Series will incorporate the launching of various platforms for political, business and social sector leaders on the continent and in the Diaspora to think, plan and collaborate towards building a strong and effective single market of Africa’s 1.4 billion people, thereby, helping to create more opportunities for African citizens and build a more prosperous Africa.

Dubbed the “Kwahu Summit” because the concept was birthed at an APN retreat held at the renowned Rock City Resort in the Kwahu Mountains of eastern Ghana, the Dialogue Series will also help bring into sharp focus the continent’s critical challenges, outline its industrialisation priorities, and aggressively advance the required commercial and infrastructural interventions to achieve the goal of deepening inter-continental trade.

Explaining further, the organisers hinted that “the Dialogues will be carried out in two parts. The first will feature the Business and Policy Leaders’ Dialogue – a retreat for business executives and associations, senior public figures, civil society thought-leaders, technocrats and the Association of Africa Investment Promotions Agencies.

“This event will be held on the 26th and 27th of January at the idyllic Safari Valley Resort at Aburi on the mountainous Akuapem Ridge. The second part of the Dialogues, will be hosted by the President of Ghana, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and will take place on Saturday 28th January, 2023. President Akufo-Addo, will be joined by a number of his colleague Heads of State from across the eight regional blocs on the African continent.”

The participating Heads of State include the Presidents of Senegal, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Egypt, Rwanda, Guinea Bissau, Cote d’Ivoire, Benin, Niger, DRC, and the Republic of Congo.

Accomplished entrepreneurs, industrialists, economists, bankers, and other business leaders in Africa and beyond have also confirmed their participation.