The Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development is pleased to announce its partnership with Siyenza Management in hosting the second annual Infrastructure Africa Business Forum. The 2013 event is expected to be the leading business infrastructure event in South Africa and will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre on the 16 – 18 July 2013. “As the Infrastructure provider and facilitator in the Gauteng provincial government, it is vital for us to be at the forefront of innovation, be it in the type of infrastructure we provide or in the processes to facilitate that delivery, including financing models and public private partnerships. We see Infrastructure Africa Business Forum as the ideal platform to facilitate a multi-sectoral dialogue on the continent and South Africa’s development needs and innovative ways to overcome developmental challenges” Said Gauteng Infrastructure Development MEC Qedani Mahlangu.

The 3-day business forum will bring together Africa’s senior business leaders, policy makers, regulators and media to advance debate and champion delivery of Africa’s infrastructure requirements. Siyenza Management’s Managing Director, Liz Hart says, "We are delighted to be partnering with the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development to host the annual Infrastructure Africa Business Forum event.  We believe that the event is becoming a key strategic event and catalyst for economic growth and offers added value for businesses in Gauteng to participate in the various infrastructure projects in Africa. This business forum provides the perfect platform to find out more about the projects, how to access these industry specific markets and to improve their bottom-line.”

The Department of Infrastructure Development is strategically poised as the implementer of the Gauteng Provincial Government’s socio-economic infrastructure projects, including the building and maintenance of schools, health care facilities, and community centres . The Department is also leading the provincial government’s concerted drive to switch to green and renewable energy sources on a large scale. The 2013 Infrastructure Africa Business Forum will provide both public and private sector stakeholders the opportunity to explore partnerships that will build this key sector of the economy and maximise economic growth, not only in South Africa, but across the continent. Says Hart, “The partnership between the Gauteng Government and Siyenza provides added value in that this will bring the public sector closer to the forum as well as tapping into the work that the Province is already currently working on."  The forum will also address the policy and regulatory framework to boost investor confidence and find a way speed up the pace of infrastructure developments at ground level. New potential areas to provide financial assistance as well as access to finance to the infrastructure players will also be explored.

Some key topics to be covered at the 2013 event include:
• The Infrastructure Agenda for Africa
• Transport in Africa
• Infrastructure development and finance
• Various country sessions including strategic focus on Angola, Mozambique and Zambia
• Africa’s future cities and smart cities