Canada-Africa Collaboration: to Iron Out Crucial Issues During 3-day Africa Accelerating

By THANDISIZWE MGUDLWA 

October 25, 2022

The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business

Keynote sessions at the conference include leading private sector voices

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will open Africa Accelerating 2022 tomorrow October 25.

And the conference keynote address is to be delivered by Benjamin Sekano, General Manager of the Ivanplats Mine in Mokopane, South Africa.

According to organizers, during the opening session of the upcoming 3-day Africa Accelerating, Trudeau is anticipated to underscore the importance of Canada-Africa collaboration will be tackled.

In addition, the forum, hosted by the Canada-Africa Chamber of Business, sponsored by Ivanhoe Mines, will run from 25 to 27 October 2022 at live venues in Johannesburg and Toronto and online. For a second year in a row, Ivanhoe Mines is working with the Chamber to address challenges and advance opportunities for enhanced Canada-Africa trade and investment that will contribute to shared and sustained economic benefits.

Kgalema Motlanthe, former President of South Africa and an Ivanhoe Mines director, is among those addressing government and private sector leaders at the forum. Speakers also include the Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, Wamkele Mene; the Parliamentary Secretary to the Canadian Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development, PS Arif Virani; the Minister of Investment Promotion and Public-Private Partnerships in the Republic of Gabon, Hugues Mbadinga Madiya and Amina Gerba of the Canadian Senate.

Keynote sessions at the conference with leading private sector voices include Naseem Lahri (Managing Director, Lucara Botswana); Peter Viljoen (Regional Director, Energy – Africa, Europe and the Middle East, Hatch); Daniel Barankin (Founder and CEO, 6ix), Sergio Urra (Director of Asset Optimisation, Ausenco) and Clive Johnson (CEO, B2Gold).

Furthermore, to the headline sponsor, Ivanhoe Mines, the Canada-Africa Chamber of Business says it is immensely grateful to this year’s Diamond Sponsors: 6ix, Ausenco, B2Gold, Ethiopian Airlines, Goodmans LLP, Hatch, Lucara Diamond, MineAfrica Inc and MEC Capital.

‘’We are also delighted to partner and work with Global Affairs Canada and the Southern-African Canada-Chamber of Commerce (SACANCHAM) who have been essential to Africa Accelerating 2022. SACANCHAM has served as a valued partner with the inception of our historic MoU in 2020, witnessed by Minister Mary Ng,’’ said Garreth Bloor, President of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business.

‘’Once again, APO Group is the official media partner for the 3-day event as part of their larger support of the Canada-Africa Chamber of Business,’’ added Mr. Bloor. ‘’I wish to applaud their incredible work on the continent accelerating trade and investment as the leading pan-African communications consultancy and press release distribution service – providing turnkey solutions that empower companies to grow their business on the African continent.’’