Africa Prosperity Dialogues 2023
Programme Outline
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THEME:
AfCFTA - FROM AMBITION TO ACTION,
DELIVERING PROSPERITY THROUGH
CONTINENTAL TRADE
THURSDAY, 26 JANUARY 2023
8:00am - 8:55am
Registration
9:00am - 10:00am
Official Opening Ceremony
MC: Jerry Adjorlolo
Video Break-From Africa Prosperity Network (APN)
Special Remarks- H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat
Key Note Address and Official Opening Ceremony- H.E. Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice President of the Republic of Ghana
10:00am -10:30am
Group Photograph
10:30am - 10:45am
The African Trade Experience - A short documentary that highlights the cross-border trading experiences of both big business and SMEs across the continent
Guided Trade Initiative video: Volunteered countries showcasing the positive possibilities of trading under the AfCFTA Agreement
10:45am - 12:45pm
High Level Session I–What will it take…? Critical Policy, Productivity Factors, Legal, Institutional and Political Actions.
It remains an imperious goal for Africa to boost its production capacity to enhance a seamless intra-Africa trade. Thus, transitioning from a producer of primary commodities and exporter of raw and unprocessed goods. This can ultimately be addressed through critical policies, efficient justice & legal systems, and resilient institutional structures, backed by political will. Fast-forward, how can political action be incentivized to ensure an effective African single market that benefits both large and small economies? Will regulating intra-continental trade through institutional reforms enable Africa to become self-sufficient? Will the common market suffer the crises of conflicting policies and legislations of existing regional trade blocs and the pressures of national interests?
Moderator - Joy Kategekwa, Senior Strategy Advisor, UNDP AFRICA
12.45pm - 1:45 pm
LUNCH BREAK
2:00pm - 3:30pm
Session II: Transitioning from Ambition to Action: Addressing Infrastructural, Food and Energy Deficit
nadequate infrastructure continues to be a major impediment to Africa achieving its full economic growth potential. Meeting the demand for key infrastructure has been identified as a priority in Africa, which remains one of the world's fastest growing economic hubs. There is still interesting potential for increasing investments to scaleup industrial productivity, particularly in the food, energy and transportation sectors. Addressing Africa's trade and infrastructural capacity deficits is essential for the continent to achieve prosperity, sustainable economic growth, inequality reduction, increased trade facilitation, and doubling the continent's share of global exports. Currently, the transportation and energy sectors drive more economic activity on the continent. Therefore, failing to acknowledge this fact and increasing investments in these areas runs the risk of limiting the continent's ability to achieve its transformative potentials
Moderator - Dr Stephen Karingi - Director, Trade Policy Division, UNECA
Lead Presenters (10mins): Seth Twum Akwaboah, Association of Ghana Industries
Panelists (35 mins)
Open Plenary - (Contribution from plenary participants) 45mins
3:30pm - 5:00pm
Session III: Leveraging Finance, Technology and Innovation
Leveraging intra-Africa trade requires sufficient financial instruments and investment to facilitate the supply chain process, thus, serving as catalyst for trade transactions between importers and exporters to preserve trade balance. Evidently, adequate financial investment is needed to support and enhance effective implementation of the AfCFTA’s agenda across the African region. Technology and innovation have also been pivotal as much as finance to positioning the continent in driving the agenda, yet, more is needed to be done to leveraging financial investment, technological transformation and innovation to achieve the Africa We Want.
Moderator: Leticia Browne- Head of Markets, Inclusion and Advocacy, Zeepay Ltd.
Lead Presenters (10 mins): Mike Ogbalu, CEO, Pan African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), Afreximbank.
Panelists (35 mins)
Open Plenary (Contribution from plenary participants) 45min
5:00pm - 6:00pm
Technical Working Session - Deep Dive and Drafting of Outcome Document (Technical Experts and Select Business Leaders by Invitation)
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Cocktail Reception
Safari Valley Resort
FRIDAY, 27 JANUARY 2023
9:00am - 10:15am
Session IV: Addressing Critical Legal and Institutional Constraints
The state-to-state nature of the Dispute Settlement Mechanism of AfCFTA could be a potential barrier to ensuring effective dispute resolution under the Agreement. African States, if not completely, almost never litigate against each other over trade related matters and it is uncertain if they would do so in the case of the AfCFTA. The low participation of African States in trade dispute resolution at WTO and within African Regional Economic Communities is a glaring indication that they do not possess the political will to resolve trade issues. Relatively, the question of who can initiate legal proceedings is crucial to the evaluation of the AfCFTA legal framework. However, it is important that the AfCFTA program provides an efficient dispute settlement option for the private sector who are key players in the AfCFTA ecosystem. Hence, addressing critical legal and institutional constraints is of utmost priority now than ever.
Moderator: Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Minister for Information, Ghana.
Lead Presenter: (10 mins): Prof Melaku Desta, Professor of Law and Director, Africa Trade Policy Centre, UNECA. Hon. Minister of Trade
Panelist (30 mins)
Open Plenary - (Contribution from plenary participants) 35mins
10:15am - 10:45am
Coffee Break
10:45am - 12:00pm
Session V: Facilitating the Free Movement of People Across Boarders
Enshrined in article 4(2)(i) is a focus on the freer and less restrictive movement of people, rights of residence, and rights of establishment by Africans across the borders of AU member states. The justification is that colonial powers' decisions on borders resulted in poorly defined territories that paid little attention to cultural or economic assimilations among Africans. Ultimately, as demonstrated by the EU, opening borders to allow for greater free movement of factors of production, including people, contributed to economic development and more peaceful relationships in the region. The evidence that free movement of people across borders promotes economic development remains compelling. In recent decades, progress toward greater freedom of movement for Africans has been uneven and slow. Can Africa accelerate initiatives that allow Africans to move freely within the continent? What strategies should be implemented through the AfCFTA program to actively manage the freer movement of people in order to achieve socioeconomic transformation?
Moderator: Ambassador Baso Sanqgu, Exec. V.P for Sustainability, AngloGold Ashanti and Former Chief of Staff Africa Union Commission
Lead Presenter (10 mins): Mr. Albert Siaw Boateng- Director for Free Movement, ECOWAS
Panelists (30mins):
Open Plenary (Contribution from plenary participants) 45mins
12:00pm - 1:00pm
Security and Intra-Africa Trade
Within the African continent, there is a growing interest in the relationships that links trade and security in African borderlands. On the continent today, terrorism and corruption continue slowed the growth of cross-border trade. Further, evidence from the Horn, North, and West African regions suggests that African countries face the difficult task of pursuing regional integration efforts while lacking the resources or willingness to control their borders. In other words, the process of regional economic integration is rarely accompanied by effective border securitization. How can a coordinated political approach advance cross-border security in order to accelerate intra-African trade?
Moderator: Kofi Appenteng – President, Africa-America Institute
Lead Presenter (10 mins): Catherine Chinedum Aniagolu-Okoye Regional Director for Ford Foundation, West Africa
Panelists (20 mins)
Open Plenary - (Contribution from plenary participants) 30 mins
1:00pm - 2:00pm
LUNCH BREAK
2.00pm - 3:00pm
Finalising the Retreat Outcome Document
FDI and Diaspora Direct Investment: Channeling Diaspora Capital as a driver for economic growth:
The African Diaspora is recognized as an important source of economic and financial contributions by the African Union, particularly in terms of remittances. The World Bank estimates that the African diaspora saves around $53 billion a year, which can be used as a source of investment in African economies. However, the potential for the African Diaspora extends far beyond remittances and includes the transfer of human capital, knowledge, technology and direct investments. Diaspora investment can complement and supplement traditional FDI, providing a more stable and sustainable source of funding for economic development and growth. Diaspora investment tends to be more patient and risk-tolerant than traditional FDI and is often directed towards sectors that may be considered less attractive to traditional investors. Given the potential for AfCFTA to drive wealth on the continent, it is crucial that the diaspora is welcomed as a growth partner, exploring the potential of diaspora and foreign direct investment in driving economic growth and development in Africa.
Moderator: R. Yofi Grant – CEO, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre
Lead Contributors (25 mins):
Open Plenary (Contribution from plenary participants) 35mins
4:00pm - 4:30pm
Presentation of Outcome Document
4:30pm - 5:00pm
Closing Ceremony
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Welcome cocktail reception ahead of the Presidential and Business Executives’ Dialogues.
Peduase Valley Resort – Peduase, Akuapem, Ghana
SATURDAY, 28 JANUARY 2023
9:00am - 10.00am
Arrivals and Coffee
10:00am - 10:30am
Official Opening Ceremony
MCs: Prince Moses Ofori-Atta and Anita Erskine
10:30am - 10:35am
Video Presentation (Recap video Day 1 & Day 2)
10:35am - 11:15pm
Addresses
Mesfin Tasew, Group Chief Executive Officer of the Ethiopian Airlines Group
Hon. Ken Ofori- Atta – Minister for Finance
Jules Ngamkam Group CEO, Africa Guarantee Fund
Kate Epse Kanyi-Tometi Fotso – CEO Telcar Cocoa
Mr Ralph Tendai Tendai Mupita – MTN Group President and CEO
11:15am - 12:15pm
Interactive Forum 1
Putting Business at the heart of heart of the implementation of the AfCFTA – Addressing Blockages and Incentivising Action.
Moderator: Joy
Lead Business Contributors
Ronnie Ntuli– Chairman, Thelo DB (PY)
Sir. David Adjaye – Founder & Principal, Adjaye Associates
Dr. Humphrey Ayim–Darke - President, Ghana Association of Industries
Dr. Catherine Chinedum Aniagolu-Okoye – Regional Director for West Africa, Ford Foundation
Reflections by H.E Wamkele Mene, Secretary General, AfCFTA Secretariat
12:15pm - 1:15pm
LUNCH
1:15pm - 2:15pm
Interactive Forum II
Putting Business at the heart of heart of the implementation of the AfCFTA– Addressing Blockages and Incentivising Action.
Moderator: Joy
Lead Business Contributors
Oghogho Akpata – Managing Partner, Templars
Dr. Uzodinma Iweala
Christal Jackson – Chair, Africa America Institute
Reflections by H.E. Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice President of the Republic of Ghana
2:15pm - 2:30pm
Group Photograph
2:30pm - 3:00pm
Presentation of Outcome Document - Business and Policy Leaders Dialogue
Hon. Yves Fernand Mamfounbi – Chair of the AfCFTA
3:00pm - 3:30pm
Making it happen: The time in now or never – Moving from ambition to action
Moderator: Anita Erskine
Fireside Chat:
3:30pm - 3:45pm
Presentation of the Action Compact
H.E. Issoufou Mahamadou, Former President of Niger
3:45pm - 4:15pm
Keynote remarks:
Alhaji Aliko Dangote, GCON – CEO Dangote Group
Closing remarks:
H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of the Republic of Ghana
4:30pm
Dinner and Awards
Peduase Presidential Lodge - Peduase, Akuapem, Ghana.
