The Chief Executive Officer of the Africa Prosperity Network, Jack Kane, has highlighted the crucial role of media participation in the Africa Prosperity Dialogues.
The Africa Prosperity Dialogues (APD) is an annual platform dedicated to bringing together for a- three-day retreat, Africa’s political and business leaders, among others.
The aim of the of the APD is to collectively on advancing with urgency, the delivery of the all-important goal of boosting intra-Africa trade in building the world’s largest single market.
These dialogues aim to reshape the perspectives of African leaders and guide them in taking bold steps in areas such as trade, commerce, national economies, political conduct, and culture to bring prosperity to Africans.
Kane stressed the necessity for seamless cooperation between the media and the network, emphasizing the media’s responsibility to inform and enhance the single-market agenda for African states.
The announcement came during a press briefing in Accra on Monday, part of the Network’s pre-engagement with stakeholders before this year’s Africa Prosperity Dialogues. Scheduled from Thursday, January 25, to Saturday, January 27, at the Peduase Presidential Lodge in Aburi, the 2024 edition will focus on the theme “Delivering Prosperity in Africa: Produce, Add Value, Trade.”
The theme underscores a shift from a commodity-based economy to one centered on production, value addition, and efficient trade across the continent. It calls on African leaders to invest in key sectors, prioritize trade, and unlock Africa’s global potential with abundant resources and a growing workforce.
Founder and Executive Chairman of Africa Prosperity Network, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, expressed confidence in the significance of the Africa Prosperity Dialogues. He noted that the outcomes from this year’s event could potentially be adopted at the next AU summit.
Jack Kane clarified that the event aimed to promote Pan-Africanism through trade, emphasizing that it was not a political or Ghanaian-centric gathering but rather a platform for Africans to discuss practical ways to support the AfCFTA agenda.
Awudu Mahama, Managing Editor of the Custodian Newspaper, stressed the media’s critical role in promoting AfCFTA activities and called for disseminating information about interventions like the Africa Prosperity Dialogues to support the continent’s growth.
Silver Ojako, Chief of Staff at the AfCFTA Secretariat, represented the Secretary-General and emphasized the urgent need for industrialization and improved infrastructure to address Africa’s minimal 2% contribution to global industrial growth. Ojako highlighted the crucial role the Africa Prosperity Dialogue plays in achieving this target.
Dr. Eugene Owusu, a member of the AfCFTA coordination office, outlined the program’s scope, indicating that the first two days would involve policy and business dialogues, focusing on technical and policy communication around the theme of value addition.
The third day would feature a presidential summit attended by heads of state and eminent business leaders, fostering candid conversations between political and business leaders alongside roundtable discussions.
