AFRICA DAY MONACO 2024: ‘Vision 2035’ Africa, the future of Europe?

AFRICA DAY MONACO 2024: ‘Vision 2035’ Africa, the future of Europe?

  AFRICA DAY MONACO 2024: ‘Vision 2035’ Africa, the future of Europe?

On 11 October 2024, the Yacht Club de Monaco hosted the third edition of Africa Day, a strategic event designed to strengthen economic ties between Monaco and the African continent.

Under the aegis of the Club des Entrepreneurs Monégasques en Afrique (CEMA), and in partnership with organisations such as the CIAN, the CBL-ACP, and theEBCAM - European Business Council for Africa and Mediterranean, this event benefited from the support of the Monaco Economic Board (MEB), the FEDEM*, and the participation of the Association des Femmes Chefs d'Entreprises Monaco.

Frederic C. GEERTS, Chairman of CEMA, opened the debates by emphasising the importance of a long-term partnership with the African continent.

The day was rounded off by a number of prestigious speakers. Adnan Houdrouge, Chairman of Mercure International, Mo Ibrahim, founder of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, and Zyad Limam, CEO of Afrique Magazine, highlighted the current opportunities and challenges on the African continent.

Isabelle Berro Amadeï, Government Counsellor and Minister for External Relations and Cooperation, shared her vision of closer collaboration between Monaco and Africa in a discussion with Johanna Houdrouge, Vice-President of CEMA. This discussion was followed by a speech by Justin HIGHMAN, Deputy Director General of the Monaco Economic Board, who emphasised the strategic importance of economic ties between Monaco and Africa.

Several thematic panels explored in depth topics such as growth in West Africa, with a particular focus on Côte d'Ivoire, presented by Jean-Marie Ackah, Consul of Monaco in Côte d'Ivoire, and Lois Ouattara, from the National Steering Committee for Public-Private Partnerships. The role of Mauritius as a springboard for development in southern Africa was highlighted by Hemraj Ramnial, Chairman of the Mauritius Economic Development Board.

Discussions also focused on currency risk issues, with the participation of Aroni Chaudhuri (COFACE) and Jonathan Schotte (CREDENDO), in a panel moderated by Patrick Lecoy, Sec.Gen of the CEMA. Leading speakers discussed the outlook for investment in Africa to 2035: Reda Loumany, CEO of PWC Strategy Africa, Farid Chedid, CEO of Chedid Capital, Anas Guennoun, Vice-President of the Confédération Générale des Entreprises du Maroc (CGEM) and Mustapha Rawji, Managing Director of RAWBANK in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The latter urged investors to take a long-term view of the opportunities offered by the African continent.

In conclusion, Frédéric Geerts stressed the importance of investing in innovation, training and human resources to ensure a lasting economic partnership between Monaco and Africa.