Investing Together, for a New Alliance Between Africa and Europe

The conference will bring together numerous partners from the private sector and civil society from both continents, on the eve of the EU-African Union Summit in Brussels, which will be attended by African and European governments and Heads of State.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Senegalese President Macky Sall will make closing remarks. Given that this conference follows the Summit on the Financing of African Economies last May 18, 2021 in Paris and the New Africa-France Summit on October 8, 2021 in Montpellier, the event will seek to convey a strong message regarding the paradigm shift from development aid to new forms of sustainable investment by European and African partners. 

What is the objective?

On the eve of the EU-African Union Summit in Brussels being held on February 17 and 18, 2022, the aim of this event is to:

• Highlight the new forms and dimensions of operational partnerships initiated by public development banks and European and African investors. This comes after the Summit on the Financing of African Economies in May 2021 and the New Africa-France Summit in Montpellier, and is on the eve of the EU-AU Summit this year. 
• Promote the structuring and mobilization of the European financial architecture for solidarity as part of its “Team Europe” approach, ahead of the EU/AU Summit.

What is on the agenda?

The event will be structured around three workshops and a closing session attended by the French and Senegalese presidents.

• The first workshop will establish the intellectual framework for the event and examine the evolution of the provisions and objectives of the relationship between France, Europe and Africa. 
• The second workshop will cover private sector financing. It will deal with questions surrounding the reinforcement of support for African SMEs and the development of tools and mechanisms to improve communication with those driving African growth and the jobs of tomorrow.
• The third workshop will focus on investment in sustainable infrastructure. It will promote the “Team Europe” approach by proposing ways to simplify and increase the efficiency of European financing.
• These workshops will be followed by a final session, in the presence of the French and Senegalese presidents, based on establishing new partnership relations with Africa.

Find out more about the cooperation between AFD Group and the European Union

As of 16 February 2022

Click here to download the conference agenda (PDF)

Conference moderated by Ele ASU, Journalist.

• 2:00 pm: Opening

Introduction :  

Koen DOENS, Director General, International Partnerships (INTPA), European Commission

Rémy RIOUX, CEO, AFD Group, Chairman, International Development Finance Club (IDFC) and Finance in Common Executive Committee (FiCS)

Themed workshops 

• 2:30 pm: Workshop 1: Contributing to the new alliance between Africa and Europe

Following the New Africa-France Summit in Montpellier and the report submitted to the French President by Professor Achille Mbembe on the new Africa-France relationship, fresh reflection has begun on the language of development. This workshop will discuss the scope of the change in vocabulary, the work that has already been done, and the work that remains, to continue to reinforce the partnership of equals with Africa.

Introduction : short video of testimonials from personalities on the change of narrative

Speakers : 

Hervé BERVILLE, Member of the French Parliament

Koen DOENS, Director General, International Partnerships (INTPA), European Commission

Serge EKUÉ, President of the West African Development Bank

Khaled IGUÉ, President, Club 2030 Africa

Achille MBEMBÉ, Historian, Philosopher, Professor of History and Political Science at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg

Chrysoula ZACHAROPOULOU, Member of European Parliament

• 3:30 pm: Workshop 2: Investing in sustainable infrastructures

For many years, most African governments have made infrastructure development a priority. The annual financing needs for quality infrastructure in Africa remain considerable and are estimated by the OECD to be nearly USD 170 billion per year. This workshop will aim to identify and promote strategies and practices that mobilize more European and African actors, more effectively, in both public and private sectors, in a bid to structure projects that produce greater impact. 

Introduction : Presentation of the activity of the Infrastructure Unit attached to the South African Presidency, 

Kgosientsho RAMOKGOPA, Head of Investment and Infrastructure Office at The Presidency of the Republic of South Africa

Speakers : 

Akinwumi ADESINA, President, African Development Bank (AfDB)

Thierry DEAU, CEO, Meridiam

Ambroise FAYOLLE, Vice-President, European Investment Bank (EIB)

Christiane LAIBACH, Member of the Executive Board, in charge of international affairs, KfW Group

Valérie LEVKOV, Vice-President Africa-Middle-East, EDF

• 4:30 pm: Break
  
   
• 4:45 pm: Workshop 3: Financing SMEs, vector of African growth and jobs of tomorrow

One priority of the Africa-Europe partnership is the development of the local economic fabric – the engine of growth and a generator of sustainable jobs, for women and young people in particular. Enabling SMEs to have access to the means by which they can continue to develop during risky periods however, remains a challenge. Using lessons from success stories, workshop participants will share from their own experiences and approaches and discuss the adjustments already underway or which they will have to undertake individually and collectively, to scale up.

Introduction : Experience of two young Senegalese SME supported by the General Delegation for Rapid Entrepreneurship of Women and Youth of Senegal

Bamba LO, Founder and CEO, PAPS

Dicko SY, CEO, Dictaf Corporation

Intervenants : 

Makhtar DIOP, CEO, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Tanja GÖNNER, Chair of the Management Board, GIZ, and co-President of the Practitioners’ Network

Grace MULIISA, Managing Director, Ecobank Uganda

Odile RENAUD-BASSO, President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)

Papa Amadou SARR, Minister, Delegate General for Rapid entrepreneurship of women and youth, Republic of Senegal

Jean-Michel SEVERINO, President, Investors & Partners

Bruno WENN, Chairman, European Development Finance Institutions (EDFI)

• 6:00 pm: Closing

Restitution of the workshops:

Papa Amadou SARR, Minister, Delegate General for Rapid entrepreneurship of women and youth, Republic of Senegal

Rémy RIOUX, CEO, AFD Group, Chairman, International Development Finance Club (IDFC) and Finance in Common Executive Committee (FiCS)

Conclusion by Emmanuel MACRON, President of the French Republic, and Macky SALL, President of the Republic of Senegal 

The conference Investing together, for a new Europe-Africa alliance will be live broadcast, in French and English on the AFD website and its social networks:

• Live broadcast in French
• Live broadcast in English
• Live broadcast from AFD social media accounts: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook.

On-site participation is by invitation only, and within the limits of available places. Invitations to participate in person are strictly personal and non-transferable. Each guest will be requested to present an email of confirmation at arrival at the entrance, as well as an ID and a valid sanitary pass (QR code). 

For more information about physical events in France, where European and foreign delegations will have to comply with the travel rules in force, the following links may be useful

• in English
• in French.

Contact: _AFDevenement-pfue@afd.fr