Report on WEF Africa 2015

REPORT ON

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM ON AFRICA 2015 IN

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA BY

KOW ESSUMAN AND

EMMANUEL AGBEKO GAMOR OF

GLOBAL SHAPERS COMMUNITY (ACCRA HUB)

Dated: 18 June 2015

Prepared by Kow Essuman and Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor

INTRODUCTION Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor and Kow Essuman were invited by the World Economic Forum to represent the Global Shapers Community, Accra Hub, at the 2015 World Economic Forum on Africa held in Cape Town, South Africa from 3 – 5 June 2015. This year’s Forum marked 25 years of the Forum on Africa and had the theme, “Then and Now, Reimagining the Africa’s Future.” This year’s Forum coincided with 25 years of change in Africa and the Millennium Development Goals and ongoing discussion on how to sustain Africa’s economic growth and the new Sustainability Development Goals.

2 JUNE 2015

#WEAREAFRICA On 2 June 2015, the night before the Forum, the Durban and Cape Town Hubs organized a networking event. It was a meet-and-greet session where the 80 Shapers had the opportunity to meet and greet each other. At the event, we were given practical tips on how to benefit from networking at the Forum. Naadiya from the Cape Town Hub provided the following tips to the group: 1.

Create a hit list, which is a list of all the people you would like to meet at the Forum;

Have a 5 second introductory statement that should make the person listening to you be interested in having a conversation with you;

Prepared by Kow Essuman and Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor

Let your listener know what you can do for them rather than what they can do for you or what you can get from them;

If you are lucky to receive your listener’s business card, make a note on the business card about what your conversation with that person entailed and why you need to contact that person; and

When you return home, email your listener and let them know it was a pleasure meeting them and discussing “a, b and c”. The benefit of emailing is that the person always has a record of you even if they throw your business card away.

3 JUNE 2015 SHAPERS ORIENTATION On 3 June 2015, we had a Global Shapers Private Event, where we were officially welcome by Chidiogo Akunyili (Senior Community Manager, Global Shapers Community) and her team. We were informed about the World Economic Forum, its purpose and what it sought to achieve. We were also informed about the Global Shapers Community and why it had been created. We were then given tips about how to conduct ourselves at the Forum and generally within the Community. We were encouraged to sell the Global Shapers brand. Thus, at any given time during the Forum when we had to introduce ourselves, we were advise to state “I am Kow Essuman, a Global Shaper from the Accra Hub”. Prepared by Kow Essuman and Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor

Yemi (Head of the Global Shapers Community) joined us and explained further the structure and purpose of the Global Shapers Community. He indicated that the Global Shapers Community had surmounted all its challenges and one challenge it faces now is how it can fund itself. He informed us about his funding strategy and how we can help achieve that. He explained that he wants to raise funds at various levels in the following manner: Global level

$1million

Regional level

$250,000 x 3 countries in the region

(So for instance in Africa, he is targeting Nigeria, South Africa to provide such funds.) National level

$150,000 x 2 sponsors

(For instance, in Ghana we should have two sponsors, who would give $150,000 each to the Global Shapers Community and that 2/3 of the amount raised nationally will remain in the country in which it was raised.) We had the opportunity to take photographs with the #SHAPEsustainability goals.

Prepared by Kow Essuman and Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor

SHAPER PROJECTS Three Shapers shared the projects they were working on in their respective Hubs. We then had breakout sessions where we discussed the projects presented and suggested solutions to the challenges.

Prepared by Kow Essuman and Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor

ABRAAJ GROUP TALK Representatives from the Abraaj Group joined us and told us about the Abraaj Group. They explained their investment model and what they consider before making an investment. They took questions from the Shapers present.

Prepared by Kow Essuman and Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor

COCA-COLA EVENT We had a Coca-Cola dinner and panel discussion on businesswomen, which was moderated by Rosalin Abigail Kyere-Nartey of the Kumasi Hub. That same evening, Emmanuel was nominated as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;fire-starterâ&#x20AC;? for a panel discussion on gender parity on the same evening.

Prepared by Kow Essuman and Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor

GENDER PARITY DINNER Emmanuel Gamor was invited to a private dinner hosted by Biola Alabi with prominent women including Nigeria’s former minister of finance Ngozi OkonjoIweala, Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Hannah Tetteh and UN – Women Executive Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. As a fire-starter Emmanuel shared all the women who have been instrumental in his personal and professional growth and was presented with a #HeForShe pin by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka for being an advocate for women empowerment and ally in enforcing the growth and advancement of women in the work place.

Prepared by Kow Essuman and Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor

4 JUNE 2015 MEETING PROF. KLAUS SCHWAB

The Global Shapers had a Meet the Leader session with Prof. Schwab (Founder of the World Economic Forum), who challenged us about our identity. He stated that our brain, soul and heart must be in sync with each other and everything we do. According to Prof. Schwab, the brain deals with how you think and what you do on a daily basis; your soul is what moves you and your vision; and your heart has your passion to do what you do. He challenged the Shapers to lead the

Prepared by Kow Essuman and Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor

campaign on conserving Africa’s wildlife resource. PANEL PARTICIPATION Emmanuel was featured on a panel on the topic: “Data Revolution” and shared his thoughts and ideas on the subject. The moderator was Clare Akamanzi, and the following persons were the panelists Jamie Drummond (One Campaign), Daniella Ballou-Aares, Helen Hai, Dr. Ernest Darkoh and Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor. The panel explored how effective data can help promote governance and innovation. Emmanuel’s main contribution centered on: Africa's data revolution will be truly realized when there is localization and translation of content so that young people on the continent may adapt technology to truly suit our needs.

OTHER NOTABLE EVENTS We had other Meet the Leader sessions with other persons including Graca Machel, Ashish Thakkar and Acha Leke.

Prepared by Kow Essuman and Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor

We participated in Partners Networking Event, where we networked with the partners of the World Economic Forum and sold the Global Shapers brand. Thereafter, President Jacob Zuma and the South African government hosted a dinner and soiree for attendees at the Forum. The dinner was climaxed by an exhilarating performance by Mafikizolo! amidst dancing.

The South Africa Mokete was delight to all in attendance.

5 JUNE 2015 BBC INTERVIEW

Prepared by Kow Essuman and Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor

Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor was selected to speak to the BBC on its Focus on Africa programme. The BBC Focus on Africa programme was an opportunity to share expectations of Global Shapers at the Forum and positive next steps on how to achieve what is discussed after the Forum. Emmanuel highlighted that one of the most pressing utility for The Forum on Africa is for collaboration and collective next steps in improving the state of the continent.

MEETING WITH PAUL POLMAN

The Shapers had a Meet the Leader session with Paul Polman (the CEO of Unilever). He shared his experience as a CEO and his commitment to development. He spoke about the Sustainable Development Goals and how they intend to achieved it.

Prepared by Kow Essuman and Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor

SHAPERS DE-BRIEFING We had a Shapers de-briefing session where we shared our experiences at the Forum. We discussed what our challenges are, our aspirations as Shapers and our commitments. FINAL THOUGHTS 1. We need to encourage more Shapers to attend World Economic Forum events by sharing our experiences and how it has helped us in develop personally and professionally. 2. We need to leverage the Global Shapers Community brand in Accra and promote its identity. 3. We need to identify those two sponsors that are willing to commit to the Global Shapers Community in line with Yemiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fundraising strategy. 4. We need to be coordinated in our efforts. 5. Improving the state of the world is not just a World Economic Forum mandate, it is a rallying call for all citizens and we need to be active agents in achieving this.

Prepared by Kow Essuman and Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor