Zambia set to host 15th AU high-level forum

The stage is set for the hosting of the 15th edition of the African Union High-Level Private Sector Forum, scheduled to hold in Lusaka, capital city of Zambia from October 31st October to 2nd November 2024.

Themed “Unlocking Opportunities for Private Actors to Accelerate Intra-African Trade and Investments,” the event will highlight solutions to bridge infrastructure gaps, improve policy frameworks and create economic opportunities through innovative partnerships and as well as focus on accelerating intra-African trade and investment by leveraging private sector champions and fostering cross-border collaboration across the continent.

According to the organisers, the Forum will also address critical challenges that have hindered intra-African trade which include poor energy access, transportation bottlenecks and financial constraints while building on strategies that enhance value chains across sectors such as pharmaceuticals, automotive assembly, textiles and baby food production.

The forum is taking place against the backdrop of economic recovery efforts following disruptions caused by COVID-19 pandemic and Ukrainian-Russian conflict, exacerbated inflation and raised living costs across Africa.

“To achieve robust economic recovery, the African Union (AU) calls for strengthened collaboration between member states and private sector leaders in two areas of the key challenges facing businesses in Africa which includes energy access and affordable finance.

“Currently, more than 590 million Africans lack access to electricity, with those connected facing unreliable supply and high costs. By consolidating public-private platforms established by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and other stakeholders, the forum aims to foster best practices and enhance competitiveness for African businesses globally.

“The Forum aims to achieve several key outcomes such as networking and value chain integration and will feature expert-led panels and workshops focusing on critical themes including cryptocurrency and digital payments and develop an interoperable payment system to support seamless trade across Africa.”

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