Economic outlook, famine and electricity in focus at WEF Africa Day 2

Cape Town – The second day of the World Economic Forum on Africa 2017 will further explore how the continent can position itself to adapt to a fast-changing global environment and overcome the plethora of challenges it currently faces. 

The 27th World Economic Forum on Africa, themed "Achieving inclusive growth", is currently taking place in Durban at the city’s International Convention Centre and is attended by over 1 000 participants from all over the world. 

Brand South Africa, founded in 2002 to market the country, is hosting an early-morning thought leadership breakfast where Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba along with former Ghana president Dramani Mahama, KwaZulu-Natal premier Willies Mchunu and Bhengu Baloyi from the Development Bank of Southern Africa will discuss the role business can play in realising inclusive growth. 

READ: Economic change in SA: Gigaba has the answers 

For the rest of the morning there will be among other things panel discussions on the fragile states in Africa, how natural resources in the country can be distributed for the benefit of the continent’s inhabitants and how economic unification can be realised with greater regional integration. 

In the discussion on economic unification, panellists will consider the lessons Africa can learn in the aftermath of Brexit by focusing on how intra-Africa trade can be deepened and the quality and reliability of data can be improved upon.

In the afternoon, there will be sessions on how public-private partnerships can help solve Africa’s electricity shortages – especially in rural areas. 

READ: World Economic Forum needs to move beyond spin if it's going to help Africa 

There will also be a discussion on the famine crisis on the continent that is threatening the lives of 20 million people. 

On Wednesday, Oxfam executive director Winnie Byanyima told the forum that famine is affecting even a rich country such as Nigeria, which illustrates that government leaders of Africa are failing its people. Byanyima will be one of the panellists on the topic on Thursday, which will be facilitated by Oliver Cann, the WEF’s head of media content. 

READ: Our leaders are not delivering, says Lindiwe Mazibuko 

One of the main attractions in the afternoon will be a panel discussion on the economic outlook for the continent as a whole, where panellists such as Gigaba, Côte d’Ivoire minister Abdourahmane Cisse and German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble will talk about how Africa should respond to policy uncertainty in the US, Europe and China. 

The day's discussions will be concluded with a session on how Africa can prepare for the fourth industrial revolution by developing agile and responsive policies and develop an enabling system for start-up entrepreneurs to thrive in regional markets.