THOUGHTS LEADERSHIP

MD OF CMOLONDON, ELIZABETH PATRICIA TRAORE-ANDONY WELCOMES PRESIDENT TSHISEKEDI AND URGES FOR GREATER INVESTMENT IN CENTRAL AFRICA  

Now is a transformational time for Africa. By 2050, one in four global consumers will be African. By the same year, the Continent is expected to be home to an additional 1.3 billion people. The Continent and its economies continue to grow, and currently eight of the fifteen most rapidly growing economies are in Africa.  

Foreign governments and businesses are increasingly recognising the African opportunity and foreign direct investment (FDI) on the Continent rose by 11% to US$46 billion in 2018. However, foreign investment in Africa is mainly centered on North Africa where FDI in 2018 grew by 7% to $14 billion and countries such as South Africa where FDI more than doubled to $5.3 billion.  

Africa offers a range of opportunities, but investors run the risk of missing out on one of Africa’s most promising: the CEMAC region. Made up of the Central African counties of Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, The Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, the region offers a range of investment options ranging from agriculture, tourism to mining.   

This week, government leaders, senior representatives of industry will be gathering in London at the UK-Africa Investment Summit to discuss deepening business relationships between the UK and Africa as Britain prepares to leave the European Union.  

Representing CEMAC at the Summit will be His Excellency Felix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo. As proud promoters of Central Africa within the UK, CMO London extends its warmest greetings to President Tshisekedi and offers him its full support. Over the course of the Summit we will be watching closely and look forward to supporting positive outcomes for the entire Central Africa region.  

Written by Elizabeth Patricia Traore-Andony, Managing Director of CMOLondon.