Africa 2020 conference, which opportunities in the country

Political and economic perspectives of the African continent

Milan – 30 January 2020 – The conference entitled Africa 2020: Political and Economic Perspectives was held today at the Andersen & Legal headquarters in Milan.

The conference, organized by the monthly magazine Africa e Affari – which has been dealing with development, commercial and even cultural issues in that area of ​​the world for years – in collaboration with the tax and legal firm Andersen and with Ethiopian Airlines, brought together experts and institutions to take stock of the main political challenges and economic trends of the African continent.

Macrodata

In a context in which – according to data processed by Africa and Business on the basis of the latest reports from the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and African Development Bank (AFDB) – Africa should know for 2020 a growth in the gross domestic product of the 4.1%, thus lengthening the positive trend of the last few years and continuing to show great dynamism despite the persistence of some outbreaks of crisis in the continent, it is more important than ever to deepen the relations that bind Italy and Europe to Africa.

According to data from the ICE Agency, the value of the exchanges between Italy and Africa in the first half of 2019 amounted to € 19.5 billion, up 1% compared to the same period of the previous year and with broad development prospects if considers that the figure weighs about 4.3% of Italy’s total trade with the rest of the world.

The predictions of the International Monetary Fund for 2020 indicate growth in all areas of the African continent: 2.3% in the Southern Zone, which is also affected by drought and stagnation in South Africa; 3% in Central Africa where six out of seven countries export oil; 4.5% in North Africa where although tensions in Libya represent an unknown factor, Egypt and Morocco are driving; 4.9% in West Africa where the development plans of Ivory Coast and Senegal could act as a flywheel; 6.1% in the Eastern part of the continent, with a diversified production base, low raw material prices and an increase in domestic consumption.

More generally, again according to Africa and Business, States not rich in natural resources (Senegal, Rwanda, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia) will continue to grow more thanks also to greater agricultural production and significant public investments, while the exporting countries of commodities will follow the performance of the markets, which are currently positive. In light of these data, it is therefore no coincidence that the World Bank’s “Doing Business 2020” report included 5 African economies on the shortlist of the 20 world economies with the greatest progress in improving the business climate: Nigeria, Togo, Kenya, Djibouti and Zimbabwe.

Topics during the conference

Africa 2020 has focused its attention on how some decisive issues on the agenda for 2020 such as the future of the continental free trade area (AFCFTA), the recapitalization of the African Development Bank, the confirmation of the African Investment Forum, the emergence of new trends on infrastructure financing needs and the debt issue, must receive particular attention and be constantly in the spotlight so that the right business opportunities can be created between the two shores of the Mediterranean.

The statement of the CEO Andrea De Vecchi

“The Africa 2020 event is in line with the strategic and cultural guidelines of Andersen Global – said Andrea De Vecchi, co-Managing Partner of the Europe area of ​​Andersen Global and CEO of Andersen in Italy -, which lead project and economic cooperation in respect of the cultural identities of each country, African or European, in which we operate. All Andersen Global professionals are united by shared standards of professionalism. Requirements that define relations with Africa not as a facade or as a slogan, but as a source of mutual opportunity. The commitment in The Bridge Africa-Europe project aims to share a value base and to reach common operating standards that allow our customers to operate reciprocally in an environment familiar to them “.

The “Bridge” project

The “The Bridge Africa-Europe” cooperation project, in fact, was managed last year by some African and European studies to support internationalization operations and to promote profitable commercial relationships through the meeting between the markets and the companies of the two Continents.

Andersen Global has a widespread presence in the African continent with offices in 20 countries which, in addition to providing strategic consultancy and professional services with high added value, favor intercontinental dialogue.

The statement of Belgrano

Gianfranco Belgrano, editorial director of Africa Affari: “The picture that emerges from the data of the major international institutions continues to speak of a growing continent, albeit in a leopard spot, with a vanguard of countries that pulls the sprint, and a conscience continent increasingly marked, marked by the launch of the African free trade area. Faced with this scenario, greater support is needed for Italian companies that, increasingly numerous, look to this part of the world to do business. And we need the awareness that global and sustainable growth passes from a collaboration on an equal footing with Africa”.

The personalities involved

During the conference, the issue of public-private partnership was also addressed and the results that the European Investment Bank obtained in local realities were presented through the financial support that, in accordance with the UN Agenda 2030, is privileging initiatives that are based on sustainable economic growth. Efforts were concentrated mainly in the strategic areas of work and access to water, energy and connectivity.

Numerous personalities and institutions intervened during the meeting: after the opening by the organizers, the interventions of representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, EIB, InfoAfrica, Lagos State Public-Private Partnership Office of Nigeria, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, Fiera di Roma, Studio Boeri Architetti, in addition to the presentation of “The Bridge Africa-Europe” by Alessandro Moretti, partner of Andersen and European coordinator of The Bridge project.