The opening ceremony, presided over by Donald Kaberuka, President of the African Development Bank, and Amir Ben Yahmed, Managing Director of Groupe Jeune Afrique and Chairman of the AFRICA CEO FORUM, was an opportunity to discuss the recent economic difficulties facing the African continent. “The last few months have been marked by new health, security and economic challenges, with falling commodity prices. And yet, a dynamic is underway, with growth rates of 4% to 7%, or even 8% and more, depending on the country. We felt it important to assess the impact of this situation on African companies, even if we feel that a turning point has been reached”, declares Amir Ben Yahmed in a press release sent to our editorial office.
This first day of the AFRICA CEO FORUM was marked by the participation of high-level experts such as American economist Jeremy Rifkin, Issad Rebrab, CEO of Cevital, and Carlos Lopes, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). Experts and participants discussed the growth trajectories of African economies over the next five years, digital at the heart of business, and the profitability of African growth. Jeremy Rifkin noted that “Africa is on the verge of a promising new economic era. While there are many challenges and obstacles to overcome, the benefits of creating a Digital Africa represent a real and considerable potential for transformation”. A record turnout is a guarantee of success for the AFRICA CEO FORUM, whose mission is to shed light on African capitalism and promote meetings and debate on ideas to anticipate the changes underway on the continent and seize every opportunity for African businesses.
“The good times are over for most of Africa. We are aware of the headwinds that are blowing hard on the global economy, but frankly, I am as optimistic yesterday, today and tomorrow,” declared Donald Kaberuka as he closed the opening ceremony. This third edition of the AFRICA CEO FORUM welcomed over 800 participants, including the Fonds Africain de Garantie et de Coopération Economique (FAGACE).
