EurAfrican Forum, an action-oriented platform that aims to foster stronger collaboration between Europe and Africa, announces the 2019 edition under the theme “Partnership of Equals: Sharing Values, Sharing Prosperity” – a new approach and paradigm for the relationship between Europe and Africa, changing the narrative for both continents to create an accountable, prosperous and sustainable future together.
The Forum is a networking and discussion platform underpinned on the power of Diasporas for connecting people, cities, regions and continents. By invitation only, EurAfrican Forum’s event gathers prominent and influential people that are forging enduring ties between the two Continents and offers a major opportunity for networking and exchanges between government officials, high profile business personalities, investors, young entrepreneurs, activists, social influencers, NGOs and media.
For this edition it is confirmed António Vitorino, Director General for the International Organization for Migrations – UN Migration Agency (IOM) for a keynote address about the migration dialogue between Europe and Africa. Also confirmed for panel speakers Emmanuel Noutary, general delegate of ANIMA Investment Network, Jasandra Nyker, CEO of BioTherm Energy, Linda Mabhena-Olagunju, founder and managing Director of DLO Energy Resources Group, Tina Charisma, writer and Tunde Kehinde, co-founder of Lidya. John Gapper, associate editor of The Financial Times is confirmed as moderator. Thora Arnorsdottir, media personality and documentary film producer is the Master of Ceremony.
EurAfrican Forum 2019 will have discussions focused around five panels:
1 – From donor-recipient towards equal participation
2 – African entrepreneurs driving inclusive innovation and growth
3 – Changing the narrative: valuing talent and diversity from migrant flows
4 – Africa: the new frontier for Impact Investment and Innovation
5 – Legacy to growth: rehabilitating the heritage, culture and tourism
The first edition of this initiative, held on July 2018 in Portugal, was launched under the topic “Crafting Coalitions for Change” – a call to action for building trust between Europe and Africa to enable to work together more effectively and create a multiplier effect in resource sharing, taking the opportunity to rebalance and promote the EurAfrican geographies.
Hosted by the Portuguese Diaspora Council and the Municipality of Cascais, with the High Patronage of the Presidency of the President of the Portuguese Republic and the Government of Portugal, led by José Manuel Durão Barroso (Chairman of the EurAfrican Forum and former President of the European Commission and former Prime Minister of Portugal) and Filipe de Botton (Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Portuguese Diaspora Council).
The EurAfrican Forum Advisory Board integrates: Christian Kamayou, founder of MyAfricanStartup; Christophe Fonseca, author, director and producer; Kola Karim, Founder and CEO of the Shoreline Group; Manuel Mota, CEO of Mota-Engil Africa; Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, founder and Chairman of APO Group, Pauline Mujawamariya Koelbl, Innovation Catalyst, PROWAH Co-Founder and Angel Investor; Sophia Bekele, Founder & CEO of DotConnectAfrica Group; and Ziad Oueslati, Managing Director and Co-Founding Partner of AfricInvest.