It is with this in mind that the UK Department for International Trade is hosting the Africa Investment Conference this week (Wednesday, January 20) bringing together businesses for a one-day virtual event to explore the opportunities for partnership and investment.

The conference will focus on four key sectors and showcase UK capability and the emerging opportunities in Africa in:

•   Sustainable Infrastructure
•   Renewable Energy
•   Financial & Professional Services
•   Agriculture and Agri-Tech

The event aims to build on the achievements of the UK-Africa Investment Summit a year ago which was hosted by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in London. At this event 27 trade and investment deals worth £6.5bn and commitments worth £8.9bn were announced.

Andrew Skipper, head of global law firm Hogan Lovells’ Africa practice, and now co-chair of the new Africa Investor’s Group, which represents the UK’s biggest investors in Africa, said the follow-up event would establish a platform for future collaboration. 

Andrew will be chairing the opening panel with four leading industry figureheads representing finance, investment, technology and telecoms and one of the hottest subjects on everyone's lips, pharmaceuticals. Speakers include: Shameel Joosub, Group Chief Executive of Vodacom; Nick O’Donohoe, Chief Executive of CDC; Ibukun Awosika, Chair at First Bank of Nigeria; and, Barbara Nel, Country President African Cluster at AstraZeneca.                            

In a statement Andrew said, “I feel lucky to be able to welcome four well-known business leaders representing iconic brands from across sectors and geographies to share their stories of investing and working in Africa.”

The event will include keynote speeches from the UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson and Dr Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank, among others.

In a statement the UK’s Department of International Trade said that despite the current global economic context, the UK’s ambition to be Africa’s investment partner of choice had never been stronger.

“And, strengthening investment relationships will be central in recovering from the disruption caused by the international Covid-19 pandemic.”

This month sees new trade agreements coming into force for the UK with 14 African partners and the prospect of more countries to follow.

Also 35 African partners will receive preferential access to the UK under the “trade presences” scheme.

The statement added that the development of the UK’s new trade arrangements, alongside the Continental Free Trade Agreement, could unleash new opportunities.

UK Minister for Investment, Gerry Grimstone, said growing investment relationships would be central in helping economies recover from the disruption caused by the pandemic.

“Africa’s economic potential and investment opportunities are huge, and our partnership will help ensure UK and African businesses are able to capitalise on trade and investment opportunities, now and in the future.”

The Africa Investment Conference will be a platform for attendees to hear directly from UK companies about the opportunities and challenges of investing in and doing business across Africa.

Firms will also learn more about the United Kingdom’s new trade arrangements with Africa and support offered by the UK Government to business and investors.

For further information on the event, and to register to attend, please click here 

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