The 7th Africa CEO Forum will bring together 1,500 participants from more than 70 countries to discuss regional integration including the implementation of the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA). It will be held under the theme: " Open Africa: From Continental Treaties To Business Realities".
The Africa CEO Forum participants will unite around a transformation agenda; what priorities must be identified to boost the level of intra-African trade and investment? What must a united Africa do to better protect its interests and industries? How can we mobilize the private sector around cross-border infrastructure and logistical projects? What insights can be drawn from the East African Community – considered the most successful regional model – given the tense new political waters? How can we create a truly pan-African financial services industry »
Different CEOs, heads of governments and potential investors will benefit from a networking platform during the Forum. This will help them identify opportunities for new business ideas, see ways to adjust their strategies to the current economic and geopolitical outlook but also build strong lasting relationships.
Africa CEO forum and its participants have a shared objective: using regional integration to drive private sector growth and create more African champions, say the organizers of the Forum.
The Chief Executive Officer of Africa CEO Forum, Amir Ben Yahmed says that they are excited to host the forum in Kigali.
“We are thrilled to host this event in Kigali because one of the triggering reasons was the signing of the Continental Free Trade Area agreement that clearly indicates that the regional integration ID that has been debated for a long time is now taking shape. We are very happy that it was done in Kigali and for us, it is very good opportunity to bring Eastern Africa into the global conversation that we have managed to create over the last six years,” he explains.
The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) Chief Executive Officer, Clare Akamanzi says that through the forum, Rwanda expects to expose investment opportunities to business people who will attend the forum.
“We want to attract more investments in Rwanda, both from within and outside the country, and a lot of the time we go outside where investors are and describe Rwanda to them,…. A lot of time we describe Rwanda to them and we want them to believe what we tell them. It becomes easier when they come into the country and see all those things for themselves,” she explains.