The 7th edition of the largest international meeting of Africa's private sector will be held on March 25 and 26 in Kigali, Rwanda; Leading decision-makers from industry, finance and politics, will come from more than 70 countries to discuss regional integration along with other key topics for the development of Africa's businesses.

At a time when intra-continental trade remains too weak, Africa's most influential business leaders have decided to come together and make their voices heard. They are convening at the Africa CEO Forum2019(www.theAfricaCEOForum.com)to bring to the fore the burning issues to address in order to make African economic integration a reality. Their goal: to make the implementation of the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) a powerful driver for private sector growth and the emergence of new African champions.

The Africa CEO Forum 2019 will unite its 1,500 participants around a real agenda for transformation: How can we mobilize the private sector around cross-border infrastructure and logistical projects? What insights can be drawn from the East African Community – considered the most successful regional model – given the tense new political waters? What must a united Africa do to better protect its interests and industries?

Through some forty panel discussions, case studies, testimonies, public-private workshops and thematic working groups, the business leaders will come to grips with these key topics while continuing to explore the other major challenges for the development of Africa's private sector, such as women leaders' access to the boardroom, the growth potential of Africa's tourism industry, banking penetration in the digital age, regional agribusiness markets, and the governance of family firms.

Numerous prominent figures are expected to lead the debate through their own insights, includingPhilippe Le Houérou, Executive Vice President and CEO of IFC;Jim Ovia, Founder and President of Zenith Bank;Nadia Fettah, CEO of Saham Finances;Tewolde Gebremariam, CEO of Ethiopian Airlines;Ibukun Awosika, President of First Bank of Nigeria;Patrick Njoroge, Governor of the Central Bank of Kenya;Naguib Sawiris, Executive Chairman of OTMT;Christina Foerster, CEO of Brussels Airlines;Abdulsamad Rabiu, Executive Chairman of BUA Group;Benedict Oramah, President of Afreximbank;Kuseni Dlamini, Chairman of Massmart;Diane Karusisi, CEO of Bank of Kigali;Jean-Kacou Diagou, President of NSIA;Manuel Mota, CEO of Mota Engil;Habiba Laklalech, Deputy CEO of Royal Air Maroc;Ambroise Fayolle, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank;Junior Ngulube, CEO of Sanlam Emerging Markets ;Grégory Clemente, CEO of Proparco;Issad Rebrab, President of Cevital;Abderrahmane Benhamadi, CEO of Condor;Alioune Ndiaye, CEO of Orange Africa Middle East;Joshua Oigara, CEO of Kenya Commercial Bank Group, andAmy Jadesimi, CEO of Ladol.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of AFRICA CEO FORUM.
Media Contact: Abdoul Maïga Tel: +33 1 44 30 18 18 Email: a.maiga@theafricaceoforum.com Information and registration: https://bit.ly/2JBT476 Photos of the Africa CEO Forum https://bit.ly/2mdxnAX Follow us on the social networks:#ACF2019 #ACFinKigali Twitter (https://bit.ly/2vfSs37) LinkedIn (https://bit.ly/2RLCqL5) Facebook (https://bit.ly/2T8bxxB) About the Africa CEO Forum: For the past six years, the Africa CEO Forum (www.TheAfricaCEOForum.com) has been the largest international gathering of African private sector decision-makers and financiers. At its previous edition in Abidjan in March 2018, it brought together 1,500 business leaders, public decision-makers and investors from Africa and around the world for two days of discussions around the need to transform African champions in the face of international competition. The Forum is organized by Jeune Afrique Media Group, publisher of Jeune Afrique and The Africa Report, and by Rainbow Unlimited, a Swiss company specializing in the organization of economic promotion events.