This year's Africa Accelerating 3-day conference took place online and live once again, as the Chamber approaches 28 years of existence. From 26 to 28 October 2021 delegates convened under the theme of Canada’s Vital Role as a Committed Partner in Africa's Economic Restart after COVID-19.
WATCH THE RECORDINGS:
Day 1: Connecting the Continent
Day 2: Securing Sustainability
Day 3: Enabling the African Restart for a New Global Growth Engine
On Day 1 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed the opening session. ‘’The Prime Minister’s message focused on Canadian efforts at home and on the African continent for the restart of African economies,’’ said Sebastian Spio Garbrah, Chair of the Board of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business.
Hon. Kgalema Motlanthe, a Director at Ivanhoe Mines and the former President of the Republic of South Africa also provided the conference keynote speech during the opening ceremony following Mr. Trudeau's address.
Top speakers also included:
- Assistant Deputy Minister for Sub-Saharan Africa in the Government of Canada, ADM Mala Khanna [Watch]
- H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary General to the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) Secretariat [Watch]
- Dr. Patricia Makhesha, Executive Vice President, Sustainability and Special Projects at Ivanhoe Mines Ltd [Watch]
- Sebastian Spio-Garbrah, Special Envoy to the AfCFTA Secretariat in Accra [Watch]
- Pierre Boivin, Head of the Africa Group, McCarthy Tétrault [Watch]
- Samson Arega, Managing Director for Ethiopian Airlines in Canada [Watch]
- Neil Reeder, Vice President for Government Relations at B2Gold [Watch]
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Daniel Barankin, Founder and CEO at 6ix [Watch]
- Director General Tarik Khan, DG for Sub-Saharan Africa at Global Affairs Canada [Watch]
- Nikolay Hristov, Vice President Sustainability and External Relations - Dundee Precious Metals Inc. [Watch]
- Goldy Hyder, CEO and President of the Business Council of Canada [Watch]
The Africa Accelerating program included financing options for all sizes of projects and business ventures, export support and cutting-edge analysis, including Canada’s latest policy approach to African markets and the African Union free trade agenda. The opportunities for business are enormous, as are the support and incentives on offer!
Day 1 - 26 October 2021.
Connecting the Continent: Enabling Mobility through Infrastructure and Logistics
Day 2 - 27 October 2021
Securing Sustainability: Delivering Environmental and Socio-Economic Well-being – from Africa’s local communities to its role in global emissions reductions
Day 3 - 28 October 2021
Enabling the African Restart for a New Global Growth Engine: Exploring African Union Collaboration, Free Trade and Canada-Africa Partnerships with Institutional Investors
Ivanhoe Mines Ltd., The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business’s 2021 premier partner and lead sponsor, is working with the Chamber to address challenges and advance opportunities for enhanced Canada-Africa trade and investment that will contribute to shared and sustained economic benefits.
Kgalema Motlanthe, a former President of South Africa and an Ivanhoe Mines director, who served as the conference’s keynote speaker. Mr. Motlanthe was President of South Africa for a period between 2008 and 2009, and then served as Deputy President from 2009 to 2014. He was Deputy President of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) from 2007 until 2012, and Secretary-General of the ANC from 1997 to 2007. He joined the Ivanhoe Mines board as a non-executive director in 2018.
Mr. Kgalema Motlanthe
“Ivanhoe Mines` successful discovery, financing and joint development of the world-scale Kamoa-Kakula Copper District in the Democratic Republic of Congo – which achieved first production in May and began exporting concentrate in July – is on track to become one of the world’s largest and highest-grade copper producers," said Ivanhoe founder and Executive Co-Chair Robert Friedland. “Ivanhoe’s accomplishments are a clear testament to the benefits that can flow from multinational cooperation in Southern Africa.”
Mr. Friedland added: “Our joint-venture team, assembled from around the globe, is working in close partnership with the DRC government and local communities to make the world`s next great copper mine a reality. We are forerunners of a new paradigm in mining, which is progressively focused on localized skill development, integrated stakeholder participation, conscientious investing and environmental stewardship. Our results show that this type of partnership works, and that Africa has a very bright future providing resources that are essential for the fulfillment of our world’s growing commitment to green technology and renewable energy."
Garreth Boor, President of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business, commented: “We are pleased to welcome thousands of delegates from across Canada and various African markets, virtually, in addition to our in-person VIPs. Working with Ivanhoe Mines and other partners, we are bringing together leaders from the private and public sectors, policy makers, managers of billions of dollars in investment capital, and showcasing a pipeline of significant projects and opportunities.”
Building on the success of the Chamber’s 2020 forum, Africa Accelerating 2021 is a hybrid event hosted virtually once again by Toronto-based 6ix, with the in-person venue live from the Toronto office of the McCarthy Tétrault national law firm.
“6ix is committed to unlocking social mobility on a global scale by empowering anyone, from anywhere, to invest in anything,” said founder and CEO Daniel Barankin. “We are driven by our conviction that Africa holds phenomenal growth prospects for investors in Canada and around the world.”
“As a leading law firm in Canada and African markets, McCarthy Tétrault’s mission is to deliver strategic and innovative legal and business solutions for our clients, wherever their business takes them”, explained Pierre Boivin, a Partner and National Leader of the Africa Group at McCarthy Tétrault. “We are committed to playing a thought leadership role on enabling Canada-Africa trade and investment.”
View last year's conference: Africa Accelerating 2020
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