Africa Investment Forum's 'Short on Talk, Heavy on Deals' Begins in Johannesburg

The much-touted Africa Investment Forum’s ‘Short on Talk and Heavy on Deals’ is underway in South Africa.

Around 2,000 delegates are expected to attend the innovative investment marketplace,

bringing together heads of state, project sponsors, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors in 60 boardroom sessions to move projects from commitment to action.

Organised by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and its partners, the second edition of the forum is currently taking place in Johannesburg till November 13.

The multi-stakeholder transactional marketplace is aimed at raising capital, advancing projects to bankable stage and accelerating financial closure of deals.

“Last year we achieved remarkable results with over $36 billion of investments interests that were signed or being closed. We are hoping that this year it is going to be even better,” said Deputy Director General of the National Treasury of South Africa, Vuyelwa Vumendlini.

Sharing similar sentiments, the Senior Advisor to the Premier of Gauteng, Mduduzi Mbapa, noted that the biggest take away from last year’s edition was the need for greater interconnection on the continent.

“In fact, many have been writing about Africa rising. Through this forum, we are making sure that our continent does rise and it contributes to the growth of the world,” he said.

“The Africa Investment Forum is designed to be a transformative platform for deals across the continent. The Africa investment forum goes way beyond the three-day event starting today. It is continuous process of nurturing deals, projects preparation, deal closure, meeting boardrooms, but most importantly ensuring that those deals actually happen to impact the continent,” said Head and Senior Director of the Africa Investment Forum, Chinelo Anohu.

The Africa Investment Forum partners include: Africa 50, Africa Finance Corporation, Africa Export-Import Bank, Development Bank of Southern Africa, European Investment Bank, Islamic Development Bank, Trade and Development Bank.

AfDB Director of Communication and External Relations, Victor Oladokun, said the forum’s agenda was simple.

“In a nutshell, the Africa Investment Forum has a very simple agenda that is tilting the flow of capital into Africa at a much greater level that we have experienced up to now,” he explained.

AfDB is Africa’s premier development finance institution, comprising three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF).

On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states.