Africa Investor-UNIDO CEO Forum

Engaging the Private Sector in Support of UNIDO's Objectives in Africa

Durban, South Africa, 26-28 October 2008

Organized as a side event to the Conference of African Ministers of Industry (CAMI), the Africa Investor-UNIDO CEO Forum brought together 50 African Ministers of Industry and over 40 African business leaders to consult on the African Union’s (AU) Industrialization Strategy. Private sector representatives and UNIDO technical experts also held roundtable discussions on supplier development programs and agribusiness opportunities in Africa.

"The key to effective industrial policy-making is to make sure that government and the private sector talk to each other constructively”, said Patrick Kormawa of UNIDO’s IFI Unit. “We deliberately organized the Africa Investor-UNIDO CEO Forum alongside the Conference of African Ministers of Industry and the Meeting of the Heads of African Investment Promotion Agencies to give the participants a chance to mingle.”

During the meeting private sector representatives agreed to advise UNIDO regularly on its technical assistance programs and champion these among member state governments and other companies. They also pledged to consider funding those programs relevant to the development of their businesses.

Among those attending the Forum were: Dr Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, Chairman, NEPAD Business Group; Dr. Cheick Diarra, Chairman, Microsoft Africa; Mr Mawuli Ababio, Managing Director, African Venture Capital Association (AVCA); Ms Cecelia Ibru, Group Managing Director, Oceanic Bank; Mr Bola Afolabi, President, Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply; Mr. Mohlomi Mothobi, Manager, Tetrapak.  

The event was supported by the African Union (AU) and NEPAD and organized in partnership with Africa Investor Magazine, Microsoft Corporation and the International Finance Corporation (IFC)