The World Economic Forum on Africa Meeting (WEF Africa) is arguably the premier meeting of business and governmental leaders that takes place on the African continent – one that is particularly influential in setting the region’s economic agenda. This year is of particular importance because of the number of elections taking place in more than 20 African nations, and at a time when emerging serious challenges, in particular the rising debt crisis, and new opportunities, such as the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), are disrupting and redefining the economic landscape.

Oxfam will be publishing a briefing paper titled: ‘A Tale of Two Continents’ on 3rd September - the day before WEF Africa meeting kicks off- focused on inequality and how to build a more “human economy” for Africa. The paper speaks more on debt, economic inequalities, an international tax system that is rigged against Africa, gender inequalities and how the disproportionate responsibility for unpaid care and domestic work not only restricts women from taking up paid work and taking part in schooling and skills training but also how it limits women's participation in public and political life.

On the morning of the 3rd of September, we have co-organized with the Commission on Global Economic Transformation (CGET), a ‘strategic dialogue’ titled ‘Africa’s Economic Transformation: Reducing Inequality, Building Sustainability’. The CGET is an influential global commission co-chaired by Nobel Laureates Joseph Stiglitz and Michael Spence that is setting out to offer a transformative economic vision.

This “strategic dialogue” will bring a select group of senior African leaders from the private sector, governments, academia and civil society together for a visionary, solution-oriented discussion focused on addressing widening economic inequality, growing threats to sustainability, and outlining the kind of economic transformations that are urgently needed across the African continent. The question we seek to answer is: how can we reshape African economies to deliver prosperity and sustainable outcomes for all? We aim to focus and stimulate a discussion on issues from natural resource governance, to education and health, to environment and climate change, to tax revenue and debt management, to technology and jobs.

For the full programme and list of speakers, click here.

For more information, please contact Joab Okanda