President Hichilema to Speak at The Africa Debate, London
President Hakainde Hichilema is due to deliver a speech at The Africa Debate, London’s leading investment summit focused on Africa. The event – this year being its ninth iteration – will be held on 11 May at the Guildhall under the theme “Catalysing the Continent’s Trade Potential”.
Attendees at this year’s Africa Debate will span continents and industries. Among the guest list are representatives of investment firms, heads of global businesses, and policy and change makers from across the globe, including Africa, Europe, North America, and the Middle East.
The President is set to be the focus of the “Country Spotlight” event, where he will be interviewed about Zambia’s growing trade potential. Other events in the programme include interviews with Wamkele Mene, Secretary General of the African Continental Free Trade Area, and Samaila Zubairu, President and CEO of the Africa Finance Corporation, as well as speeches from British politicians Mark Simmonds and Andrew Mitchell.
Delegates at The Africa Debate, 2022. Photo: Fiona Hanson
There will also be various debates held throughout the day. A panel will discuss “Building a Comprehensive Digital Trade Strategy for Africa”, which will explore innovation in digital strategy and e-commerce across the continent. Other topics set to be explored through debates and panel discussions include: boosting the industrialisation of African countries; ESG regulatory initiatives in African trade; leveraging the continent’s critical minerals supply; and strengthening Africa’s finance sector.
The Africa Debate is organised and hosted by Invest Africa, the UK’s leading trade and investment platform for African markets. Invest Africa describes the continent’s trade outlook as “at a crossroads”. On the one hand, it is suffering from global supply chain disruptions following the Covid pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine which “paint[s] a gloomy picture” of the future of Africa’s trade, as well as the threat of debt risks. But on the other hand, African trade and investment is aligning under the recently established African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which aims to strengthen and protect it.
It is hoped that The Africa Debate in May will provide a forum for leaders in industry to discuss, and prepare for, the future of African trade. There is still time to register for a place at the summit.