THE-WORLD-ECONOMIC-FORUM-AFRICA-MEETING

More than 1,000 regional and global leaders from politics, business, civil society and academia will discuss at the 28th World Economic Forum on Africa, from 4 to 6 September.

Numerous of Africa's leaders will be gathered in Cape Town for #AF19 theme this year is ‘Shaping Inclusive Growth and Shared Futures in the Fourth Industrial Revolution’. The agenda will cover four key areas: innovation, sustainable development, digitization and governance.

Africa’s regional priorities are: Sipho M Pityana, chairman of AngloGold Ashanti in South Africa; Arancha Gonzalez Laya, executive director of the International Trade Centre, Geneva; Jeremy Farrar, director of the UK-based Wellcome Trust; André Hoffmann, vice-chairman of Roche, Switzerland; Ellen Agler, CEO of The END Fund; Jim Ovia, chairman of Nigeria’s Zenith Bank; and Alex Liu, managing partner and chairman of AT Kearney.

In March, the African Union launched the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). This landmark agreement aims to create a single market expected to generate a combined GDP of more than $3.4 trillion and benefit over 1 billion people.

In April, the South African government announced the launch of a new Affiliate Centre of the World Economic Forum’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR).

Even with these investments, important challenges will remain. Many of Africa’s 54 countries are marked by fragile and conflict affected contexts, extreme poverty and widespread inequity. Priority attention must be given to resolving these issues even as the continent grows apace.

If Africa can develop these clusters further and create an integrated innovation ecosystem to tackle the 4IR, it stands to supercharge its economies, its societies and the livelihoods of millions.

Edited by intern:

Mandlenkosi Mde