World Economic forum opens in South Africa

World Economic forum opens in South Africa
Funke Atohengbe, South Africa

The World Economic Forum on Africa has opened in Cape Town, South Africa with the unveiling of the Africa Competitiveness Report for 2011.

The report highlights areas African countries need to focus on for a sustainable development.

It is the third of such report on economic conditions in African countries.

This year's findings emphasize the need for increase in trade, enhance higher education and create opportunity for women to participate more actively in business development.

NEPAD Support

The CEO of the NEPAD Agency, Dr. Ibrahim Assane Mayaki, was at the World Economic Forum on Africa to lend support to the forum

During his engagements at the WEF in Cape Town Dr. Mayaki will co-chair the main session of the High-Level Meeting on Mobilising Private Sector Investment in African Agriculture.

This is in the context of WEF’s new vision for Agriculture Initiative in collaboration with the African Union, its NEPAD programme and the related Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).

In addition, Dr. Mayaki will also participate as a Guest Panelist at the launch of IFAD Rural Poverty Report – ‘New realities, new challenges: New opportunities for tomorrow’s generation’.

The WEF in Cape Town is also set to work as a background for a series of media interviews and side-meetings with the CEO of the NEPAD Agency.

Dr. Mayaki has also  appeared  on CNBC Africa’s ‘Beyond Markets’ show with Lerato Mbele  and also featured on SAfm interactive show with Ashraf Garda on Thursday.

Dr. Mayaki was recently awarded with the National Order of Agriculture Merit for his commitment and achievements in African development particularly within the context of Agriculture, by the French Ministry of Agriculture.   

More than 900 participants from 60 countries will participate in the 21st World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa in Cape Town, South Africa, from 4 to 6 May 2011.

 The theme of the forum is; “From Vision to Action, Africa's Next Chapter.”

African Heads of State and Government and business people used the event to exchange views on how Africa can position itself as a key player in the emerging markets as six of the 10 most rapidly expanding economies are located in sub-Saharan Africa.

Qasim