A cross-section of participants at last year’s German-African Business Day in Berlin. The annual event promotes greater economic relations between Germany and Africa / Photo: Afrika-Verein

German-African Business Day holds this week in Berlin

Representatives of businesses, governments, investment organisations and financial institutions from Africa and Europe will gather in Berlin on Thursday, 6 July for the annual German-African Business Day.

Under the theme “Empowering Millions: Africa’s Rising Digital Economy”, participants will discuss how to intensify economic ties between Germany and Africa.

Organised by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development (BMZ) in collaboration with the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Africa Association of German Business (Afrika-Verein der deutschen Wirtschaft), the event targets representatives of banks, governments, businesses and the ICT sector from Africa and Europe as well as other private and public sector investors.

The Africa Day, which is taking place on the eve of the G20 Summit, is intended to give additional impetus to innovation, entrepreneurship in technology and the expansion of the digital economy in Africa. This is to be achieved through targeted investments and practical support on the ground, as it’s where the greatest impact can be achieved, according to the organisers.

The conference will be opened by Werner Hoyer, EIB President, Dr Stefan Liebing, Chairman of the Afrika-Verein, Dr Gerd Müller, the Federal Minister for Economic Co-operation and Development, and President Alpha Conde of the Republic of Guinea who is also the current President of the African Union.

Africa Day 2017 will feature several events, focusing on the growing digital economy in Africa, the objectives of the “Compact with Africa” ​​initiative of the Germany’s current G20 presidency and Agenda 2030 on sustainable development. The conditions that must be met to increase investment activities and create public-private partnerships in Africa will also be discussed at the one-day event.

Project financiers and entrepreneurs in the areas of digital financial services, mobile communications, investment funds and logistics will report on their personal experiences, difficulties and successes in Africa. They will also outline the business opportunities the continent offers European companies that are expanding or developing new businesses.

The German-African Business Day takes place once every year and focuses on the economic relations between Germany and Africa. Special guest at last year’s event was President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, who said that investing in Africa was the wisest decision Western companies could make in view of the continent’s demographics and resource endowment.

Femi Awoniyi

Useful Information:

Event: Africa Business Day
Date: Thursday, 6 July 2017
Venue: Hotel Ellington, Nürnberger Straße 50-55, 10789 Berlin
Time: 09.00 am –5.30 pm

If you are interested in the event, please send your inquiries to:
Miss Claudia Voß, Afrika-Verein
Tel.: +49 30 20 60 719 50 / Mobil: +49 170 37 11 293
Email: voss@afrikaverein.de

More about Afrika-Verein and Africa Business Day 2017 at: www.afrikaverein.de

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