Infrastructure Africa and the African Development Bank (AfDB) are preparing to host the 2016 edition of the Infrastructure Africa Business Forum, incorporating side event, the Africa Inclusive Infrastructure Forum, at the Sandton Convention Centre from June 9 to 10.
The two-day conference and exhibition was expected to draw prominent African infrastructure experts, government officials and business leaders to accelerate infrastructure development, with discussions surrounding regional integration, large-scale cross-border infrastructure and the resultant unlocking of Africa’s industrialisation capabilities, besides others.
Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa was expected to deliver the first day’s keynote address, followed by African Union Commission chairperson Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and AfDB president Akinwumi Adesina.
Other speakers and panellists for the conference included Department of Trade and Industry chief director for African industrial development Nigel Gywnne-Evans; Africa Project Access MD Paul Runge; Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) Africa Specialist Dr Michele Ruiters; and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad) Agency CEO’s office senior energy adviser Professor Mosad Elmissiry.
Further, Herbert Smith Freehills partner Peter Leon, Norton Rose Fulbright director Muzi Kubeka and AfDB special envoy on gender Geraldine Joslyn Fraser-Moleketi were also listed as speakers for the conference.
The event partners included Nepad Planning and Coordinating Agency and DBSA, along with several corporate sponsors.