European Business Summit
info@ebsummit.eu – 0032 (0) 2 645 34 80
TRANSPARENCY REGISTER 268958411031-65
PRIVACY-POLICY | GENERAL TERMS OF SALES
09:00-09:15
ABOUT
Based on previous successful editions of the EU-Africa Business Summit organised in Marrakech (2018 – 2019) and in Brussels
(2019), the EBS organisation is willing to pursue its mission of promoting and facilitating the interaction between the EU and Africa.
The fourth edition of the EU-Africa Business Summit, held in a new hybrid format, will seek to find answers to the most important policy
challenges shaping the common future of both continents by bringing influential business leaders, policymakers and experts together.
Africa is Europe’s closest neighbour. The ties that bind Africa and the European Union are broad and deep as a result of history, proximity
and shared interests.
The EU is Africa’s largest trade and investment partner, and the main supporter of the African Continental
Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) with €72.5 million mobilised by the end of 2020. EU-27 Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) stock in Africa was
€222 billion, compared to €42 billion from the US and €38 from China. In 2018, the EU-27 accounted for 32% of Africa’s total trade,
whereas China accounted for 17% and the US 6%.The European Union and Africa must continue their privileged partnership.
Nevertheless, for this future to be mutually prosperous, both continents must create a new alliance based on fair and sustainable
partnerships.It is also essential for the EU and Africa to clearly establish their common objectives and the means to fulfil them.
It is time to take this relationship to the next level.
2021 PROGRAMME & REPLAY
WELCOME
Jutta Urpilainen
European Commissioner for International Partnerships
Albert Muchanga
African Union Commissioner for Trade and Industry
Ricardo Mourinho Felix
Vice President of European Investment Bank
Arnaud Thysen
Director General
European Business Summits
09:15-09:30
Exclusive Interview with Phil Hogan
Phil Hogan
Former EU Commissioner for Agriculture
Jerry Fisayo-Bambi
Africanews
09:30-10:30
Agriculture/ Agribusiness: a stronger agriculture for a fairer rural development
Phil Hogan
Former EU Commissioner for Agriculture
Godfrey Bahiigwa
Director of the Agriculture Department, African Union Commission
Ilias El Fali
Advisor to OCP’s Chairman & CEO and former COO, OCP GROUP
Daniel Nahon
Professor, Aix-Marseille University
Samira Rafaela
Member of the European Parliament
Willi Schulz-Greve
Head of Unit DG Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI), European Commission
Jerry Fisayo-Bambi
Journalist, Africanews
The African agriculture sector must transition toward agribusiness. Globally competitive agriculture will enable Africa to benefit from its natural resources, develop its rural areas and provide opportunities for future generations. To this end, the European Union is assuming its role to support Africa realise its agri-food potential.
In agriculture and agribusiness there is an urgent need for public policies to attract investments and to implement climate smart policies. Innovative financial instruments such as the EU External Investment Plan (EIP) and its specific investment window on agriculture can support job creation for the youth notably in the cocoa sector.
Furthermore, innovative technology and data can help farming communities to thrive through better market access and by enabling products to be sold at higher post-harvest prices. This, in turn, will help generate greater interest from young people in the opportunities offered by the agricultural sector. Cooperation between Africa and the EU is essential to transform African agriculture and feed the growing population.
10:30-11:30
automotive: alternate powertrains in support of green transition
Cristina Miranda Gozalvez
Head of Unit, DG TRADE, EU Commission
Chiza Charles Chiumya
Acting Director of the Directorate of Industry, Mining and Entrepreneurship, African Union Commission
Markus Thill
President, Region Africa, Bosch
Badreiddine Mansouri
Managing Director, Sub Sahara Africa, Stellantis
Gainmore Zanamwe
Senior Manager (Trade Facilitation), Afreximbank
Kabelo Rabotho
Managing Director, South Africa, Nissan
Fifi Peters
CNBC Africa
There are great expectations from a multitude of stakeholders in and external to Africa (including African governments) to leapfrog to Electric Vehicles.
Whilst Africa moves along the journey of reducing emissions and towards electrification a mix of alternate powertrains will need to coexist and to cater to the wide variety of vehicle segments based on their specific needs and uses.
The objective of the panel will be to engage on the various powertrain and mobility considerations citing examples where they could best serve the specific purpose in Africa. Powertrain technology will evolve over time and may differ between various modes and locations of transport e.g. private vs public, urban vs rural, 4 wheeler vs 2/3 wheeler. With the drive to reduce emissions the panel will also engage on:
• How to eliminate the dumping of used ICE vehicles from developed countries that are emission unfriendly and not safe/roadworthy. This ICE challenge will accelerate with the drive to electrify developed economies around the world.
• Fuel quality
12:00-13:00
green transition: circular economy and international cooperation: favouring renewable and sustainable energy sources
Ali Zerouali
Director of International Cooperation, Masen
Federico Maria Grati
Head of Agroenergy Services, ENI
Patrick Child
Deputy Director General, DG ENVI, EU Commission
Steven Stone
Deputy Director, Economy Division UNEP
Shada Islam
Brussels-based commentator and analyst
2021 is a crucial year for Climate Action. The UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) and the 15th Conference of the Parties to the Biodiversity Convention will both address the biggest challenges of the 21st century, Climate change and the Green transition.
A stronger partnership between the EU and Africa will maximise the benefits of the Green transition and the circular economy, ensuring that both continents’ economic recovery is well-integrated and aligned to the 2030 Agenda and the African 2063 Agenda
Fighting climate change and accomplishing a clean and just energy transition are the biggest challenges of the 21st century. Africa’s energy industry is facing extraordinary circumstances. An ongoing energy transition and new efforts to decarbonize the world are weighing on oil demand. The shale revolution is exacerbating these pressures. New technologies are rapidly developing, including green hydrogen production systems. Finally, the Covid-19 pandemic has wrought havoc on markets around the world, accelerating and intensifying existing trends.
The session will address the results of the UN Climate Conferences and provide a framework not only for moving forward in a post-COVID-19 context, but excelling in it.
14:30-14:45
Exclusive Interview with Didier Reynders, EU Commissioner
Didier Reynders
EU Commissioner for Justice
Jerry Fisayo-Bambi
Journalist, Africanews
14:45-15:15
Exclusive Interview with Ivor Ichikowitz, Chairman of Ichikowitz Family Foundation
Ivor Ichikowitz
Chairman of Ichikowitz Family Foundation
Shada Islam
Brussels-based commentator and analyst
15:15-15:20
video message From Marina Sereni, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs
Marina Sereni
Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Italy
15:20-15:30
discussion on eu-africa startups: unlocking potential in the continent
Fabrizio Delage Paganini
Co-founder, CPO Valeur-Tech
Jerry Fisayo-Bambi
Africanews
In recent years, Africa has enjoyed a fertile environment for entrepreneurs due to the continent’s youthful, growing population and rising internet penetration.
The potential in the continent is vast, as shown by the primary indicator of an increasingly thriving tech scene – a huge rise in international investment.
Therefore, the African startup market has received an influx of capital from both local and international investors thanks to the application of emerging technologies that have the potential to improve access to healthcare, financial services, education, and energy.
The EU-Africa Business Summit will allow a few startups the opportunity to showcase and promote their services and technology to investors and decision makers.
15:45-16:00
Exclusive Interview with Patrick Child, DEPUTY DIRECTOR GENERAL, DG ENVI
Partick Child
Deputy Director General, DG ENVI
16:00-16:30
Exclusive interview: Healthcare Innovation and Vaccine Equity
Chrysoula Zacharopoulou
Member of the European Parliament
Maria Shaw-Barragan
Director of Lending in Africa, Caribbean, Pacific, Asia and Latin America at the European Investment Bank
Matshidisio Moeti
Regional Director Africa, WHO
Andres Schipani
Journalist, Financial Times
16:30-17:30
The digital transformation: an opportunity for Africa, developing the full potential of digital economy
Vera Songwe
United Nations Under-Secretary-General & Executive Secretary of the Commission for Africa
Joakim Reiter
Chief External and Corporate Affairs Officer, Vodafone Group
Lacina Koné
CEO, Smart Africa
Fabrizio Lobasso
Subsaharan Africa Deputy Director, Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation
Linda Munyengeterwa
Regional Industry Director of Infrastructure, IFC
Shada Islam
Brussels-based commentator and analyst
Digitalisation – the use of digital technologies, data and interconnection to change existing activities or create new ones − is well underway in all five African regions.
Digitalisation allows to rethink the ways we approach finance, healthcare, rural access, or access to public services. Information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructures have developed steadily, and prospects for new projects remain robust. Yet, Internet connectivity in Africa remains a developmental challenge, and there is an urgent need to accelerate digitalisation and create better digital infrastructure.
Enhanced collaboration is needed between policymakers and partners to address technological disruption and harness the huge development opportunity that digital technology and services offer. As such, cooperation in digital infrastructure should become one of the flagship activities of EU-Africa business partnership.
