Six hundred companies from Africa and France are expected to attend the Ambition Africa conferences in Paris, organised by Business France on October 22 and 23, 2018. At the very heart of what Christophe Lecourtier, CEO of Business France, called the "leading entrepreneurial event between France and Africa ", several Ambition Africa discussions will focus on the green economy: renewable energies, water, waste and mobility.
Ambition Africa 2018, organised by Business France and placed under the aegis of the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, will bring together 600 African and French economic actors. The challenge: to enable companies on both sides to share their expertise, meet their prospective partners and establish business relationships around conferences, thematic workshops and 3,000 BtoB meetings.
Following President Emmanuel Macron’s speech in Ouagadougou in 2017, which aimed to define new ambitions for France in Africa as part of a renewed relationship, and where the economic dimension would play a stronger role, the event aims to strengthen economic and trade ties between Africa and France.
France wants a new pro-business cooperation with Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa will have 2.5 billion inhabitants in 2050, or a quarter of the world’s population. Over the past eight years, the continent’s countries have had an average annual growth rate of 3.4 to 7%, higher than global growth…. A promising context that was presented by Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Secretary of State to the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs: “The relationship between African and French civil societies is exceptional through the existing and strong human, cultural and linguistic ties. Support for the private sector in Africa is a priority for both our aid to development and our economic diplomacy: I encourage the actors of the French team to work hand in hand with our African partners to launch a new, strong and sustainable dynamic, particularly in the perspective of the 2020 Africa-France Summit which will focus on the sustainable city.”
More than 1,000 French companies are established on the continent. However, Ambition Africa’s new approach has also consisted in attracting French companies, which do not necessarily have a strong presence in Africa, to offer them the opportunity to meet African partners, who could invest in a partnership, including on the French market.
“We want to show that the French economic ecosystem is quite receptive, and that even some of our companies that have not yet been to Africa are keen to meet African partners, either to do business, to co-invest, or to welcome them into their business in France,” says Christophe Lecourtier.
Ambition Africa: Africa-France meeting on the green economy
Nearly 250 SMEs, ETIs, start-ups and large French groups, and more than 350 companies from all over the African continent are expected. During the Ambition Africa event, several conferences will focus specifically on the green economy: renewable energies, water, waste and mobility.
– Solar, wind, hydroelectricity, gas: what energy mix for tomorrow’s Africa?
Monday, October 22, from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm. With Yoven MOOROOVEN, Managing Director ENGIE Afrique, Linda MABHENA-OLAGUNJU, Managing Director, DLO Energy Resources Group (Pty), Mathilde BORD-LAURANS, Head of the Energy Division, French Development Agency (AFD), Alban d’HAUTEFEUILLE, Head, Industrial & Commercial Africa Middle East, TOTAL SOLAR, Françoise d’ESTAIS, Head of the Finance Unit, Energy and Climate Department, UN Environment.
– Access to water, waste management: 2 major challenges for Africa
Monday, October 22, from 4:50 pm to 5:50 pm. With Murielle DIACO, President of DJOUMAN, Patrice FONLLADOSA, CEO of VEOLIA Africa and the Middle East and Chairman of the Africa Committee of MEDEF International, Paul BOURDILLON, Deputy General Manager, SUEZ Africa, Middle East, India, Mamadou DIA, Water and Sanitation Director, ERANOVE Group, Thomas DERICHEBOURG, President, DERICHEBOURG Group.
– What urban transport to support Africa’s urban mobility?
Tuesday, October 23, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. With Amadou KONE, Minister of Transport of the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, Guillaume LE BERRE, International Business Developer, SMOOVE, Charlotte RICHE, Project Finance, POMA, Ibou DIOUF, Head of the SSATP Programme ( Programme for Transport Policies in Africa) World Bank, Nicolas De FOUGEROUX DU HAMEL, Vice-President Africa, THALES GROUP,
For more information on Ambition Africa 2018: https://events-export.businessfrance.fr/ambitionafrica2018/
Yasmin Rico
