African Leaders call for “partnership not support” in business relationships with the West

shakirudeen taiwo

February 1, 2018 4:21 PM

Africa wants a stop to aid and grant from the West while demanding for a fair deal in international relationship between the two regions.

A call for a paradigm shift from support to partnership in Africa’s relationship with the West dominates the inaugural Africa Business and Investment Forum held on January 30, 2018, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

African leaders at the forum reiterated the position pushed forward by Nigeria’s vice president, Professor Yemi Osinbajo at the 2018 World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. Osinbajo called for a fair dealing in international trade between Africa and the rest of the world.

In the same vein, the leaders said they are ready to work with private sector to create a conducive business that is favourable and attractive to the international business community.

“Today was a great opportunity for UN and AU leadership to hear the voice of international private enterprises and investors who want to do business with Africa, and ensure that business relations between the U.S. and the continent continue to grow,” Florie Liser, President and CEO Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) said.

“Our CCA members and guests at the Forum were hugely encouraged to hear from our continent’s leaders that Africa is an attractive destination for investment.”

The Forum was organised by U.N. Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in partnership with Corporate Council on Africa (CCA). The event also had over 150 CEOs and senior executives of the U.S and African companies in attendance.

Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary of the ECA said: “Today’s Africa Business and Investment Forum demonstrated a real commitment by our African leaders that they are focussed on paving the way for private investors in the U.S. and the rest of the international community, to invest in Africa.”

The Forum was held on the margins of the African Union (AU) Summit and served as a high-level platform for the U.S. and African private sector engagement.

The event was officially opened by H.E. Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda and the Chairman of the African Union. In attendance were Presidents and Prime ministers of Ethiopia, Uganda, Niger, Senegal, Kenya and Mozambique.

Issues around trade and diversification, energy, Agribusiness and Health formed the topic of the many roundtable discussions at the event.

shakirudeen taiwo

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