Fon Mathuros, Head of Media, Public Engagement, Tel.: +41 (0)79 201 0211; Email: fmathuro@weforum.org
· The World Economic Forum on Africa will be held for the first time in Kigali, Rwanda, on 11-13 May 2016
· The meeting is the foremost gathering of leaders to discuss Africa’s growth, development and prospects as the world faces the Fourth Industrial Revolution
· Accreditation must be completed by Friday 15 April 2016: www.weforummedia.org
· For more information, please visit wef.ch/af16
Geneva, Switzerland, 4 April 2016 – Africa’s ability to rise to the challenge of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, a period of global change and transformation characterized by accelerating innovation, greater complexity and increased uncertainty, will be the focus of the 26th World Economic Forum on Africa, which takes place in Kigali, Rwanda, on 11-13 May. The theme of the meeting is “Connecting Africa’s Resources through Digital Transformation”.
The deadline for media accreditation is 15 April, with only a limited number of places for media still outstanding. Those attending will benefit from access to over 1,000 leaders from politics, business and civil society from across Africa and beyond. These leaders will convene in Kigali to discuss solutions and advance actions to address the following challenges, among others:
· Adapting to an economic age where manpower is increasingly challenged by machine learning
· Building smart cities and connected, inclusive societies capable of supporting Africa’s unprecedented urbanization boom and building vibrant rural economies
· Building growth strategies around environmental sustainability and creative industries, and creating policies that champion Africa’s people as well as its natural resources
· Exploring the many ways that technology will change the way that people live, work and relate to each other, and how diverse and cutting-edge technologies such as blockchain, along with neuroscience, quantum science and big data can help address Africa’s development challenges
“The Fourth Industrial Revolution represents a unique opportunity for Africans to create a future where economies are empowered, and societies strengthened, by technology. It will be the priority of the leaders coming together in Kigali in May not just to discuss its opportunities, but also to put in place concrete plans to realize these ambitions,” said Elsie Kanza, Head of Africa and Member of the Executive Committee at the World Economic Forum.
Leading personalities who will act as the Co-Chairs of the meeting are:
· Akinwumi Ayodeji Adesina, President, African Development Bank (AfDB)
· Dominic Barton, Global Managing Director, McKinsey & Company
· Tony O. Elumelu, Chairman, Heirs Holding
· Philippe Le Houérou, Executive Vice-President and Chief Executive Officer, International Finance Corporation (IFC)
· Graça Machel, Founder, Foundation for Community Development (FDC)
· Tarek Sultan Al Essa, Chief Executive Officer and Vice-Chairman of the Board, Agility
If you wish to cover the event, please complete the online registration prior to the deadline.
Notes to Editors
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