On January 30th, Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) held the Africa Business and Investment Forum alongside the 30th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
At the forum, private and public sector leaders gathered to discuss measures in support of private-sector led growth in Africa. Roundtable discussions were held on trade, energy, agribusiness and health.
Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, GBCHealth Board Co-Chair, in his keynote address urged the audience, which included prominent African CEOs and Heads of State, to capitalize on the opportunity of the convening: “this new partnership serves as a fertile ground for building the African Health Sector”.
Nancy Wildfeir-Field, GBCHealth President, was on the panel for Advancing Public Private Partnerships on Non-Communicable Diseases. In this roundtable, speakers across the health sector discussed specific benchmarks that would help Africa make real progress in the fight against NCDs.
Ms. Wildfeir-Field stressed the rationale for private sector participation in shaping health markets in Africa noting that “good health means good business”. The private sector continues to play a vital role in improving health systems through service delivery, supply chain monitoring, influencing policy and more. Public-private partnerships, investment and innovation, she stressed, could make direct impact on the health and wellbeing of millions.
Other speakers used the occasion as an opportunity to attract investors and increase multi-sector collaboration.