Tweeting the #WEFAfrica Opening Plenary on BRICS
The World Economic Forum event on Africa for 2013 took place at the Cape Town International Conference Centre. The theme was “Delivering on Africa’s Promise”. I attended it and joined the opening plenary which kick-started event though there had been panels and sessions earlier that day (May 9th) and the day before. I was a panelist in one session earlier that morning about Forward Leadership.
The opening plenary session was dubbed "Building with BRICS: How will collaboration with the BRICS empower Africa to deliver on its promise?". It featured WEF chair Klaus Schwab as moderator, South Africa's President Jacob Zuma, IMF first deputy managing director David Lipton, African Union chair Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Jindal Steel and Power chair Naveen Jindal, and AfDB president Donald Kaberuka as panelists. Below are some tweets I captured ---
The major takeaway from this session in my opinion was the need for African integration. Many of the other messages, we've heard already. South Africa, as a member of BRICS, is obviously a leader on the African continent. It needs to do more to support infrastructure on the continent and becoming a market for other African countries. You can watch the whole plenary here -
#leggo
PS: So Siyabonga saw his president in person for the first time at the World Economic Forum. Who's Siyabonga? Stay tuned.
The opening plenary session was dubbed "Building with BRICS: How will collaboration with the BRICS empower Africa to deliver on its promise?". It featured WEF chair Klaus Schwab as moderator, South Africa's President Jacob Zuma, IMF first deputy managing director David Lipton, African Union chair Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, Jindal Steel and Power chair Naveen Jindal, and AfDB president Donald Kaberuka as panelists. Below are some tweets I captured ---
Elsie Kanza led us in a call & response. 'Kitendawilli' is a Swahili phrase you say before you tell a story. Response is 'Tega'. #wefafrica
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) May 9, 2013
Facts: Africa is 15% of world population, yet only attracts 3% of FDI.The world is missing out still today on Africa on the Rise #WEFAFRICA
— Mads Kjær (@MadsMYC4) May 9, 2013
"Poor infrastructure adds about 40% to the cost of doing business" - Kaberuka. African presidents should solve this first. ASAP. #wefafrica
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) May 9, 2013
"Identify projects in Africa which are high-return and figure out how to get the surpluses into infrastructure". - Kaberuka. #wefafrica
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) May 9, 2013
"I'm hoping the BRICS bank can be more amibitious, at least 5 times our size of $100 billion". - Donald Kaberuka of the AfDB. #wefafrica
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) May 9, 2013
"We want a bank able to respond to huge challenges. The BRICS Bank must be in Africa, because the greater need is here". - Zuma #wefafrica
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) May 9, 2013
@abocco I really like Donald Kaberuka! He is clear, articulate and understands Africa's issues, he represents us well as Africans #wefafrica
— Thamsanqa Netha (@ThamsanqaNetha) May 9, 2013
"Natural resources to drive infrastructure growth serves a window of opportunity. It might not exist in the future". - Jindal #wefafrica
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) May 9, 2013
The GDP OF ECOWAS has multiplied 5 times in the last 20 years - #WEFAfrica
— JJ. Omojuwa (@omojuwa) May 9, 2013
#wefafrica issues currently being addressed for BRICS bank set up - how to capitalize and where will it be domiciled - Zuma
— Isis Nyong'o (@inyongo) May 9, 2013
"We see the BRICS bank as a complimentary move, also to the African Development Bank". - David Lipton, Deputy MD of the IMF. #wefafrica
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) May 9, 2013
Why can't we have infrastructure that links all of our cities? It's possible. We must set our minds to it. - Nkosazana Zuma #wefafrica
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) May 9, 2013
50th anniversary of African unity will be celebrated all year. Want to energize & galvanize the Africa 2063 vision. - Ms. Zuma. #wefafrica
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) May 9, 2013
"Want an Africa that is able to utilize its own resources to develop itself. Self-sufficient. That is a possibility". - Jacob Zuma #weafrica
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) May 9, 2013
Zuma (AU): SSA generates same amount of energy as Spain, and we have 20 times more ppl. Half that energy is generated by SA #WEF #WEFAFRICA
— africatechie (@africatechie) May 9, 2013
'We need to invest in our greatest asset- our people. In health, in skills and in education.' Dlamini-Zuma (AU). #wefafrica.
— Ishaya Bako (@naijafilmmaker) May 9, 2013
"Africans, from our own experience, must learn by doing, we can go further. We need to implement our own model" - Donald Kaberuka #wefafrica
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) May 9, 2013
Let us intregrate more. Let us allow our talents to flourish. Let us use our own resources, unlock our talent. - Donald Kaberuka. #wefafrica
— Ato Ulzen-Appiah (@Abocco) May 9, 2013
Zuma (SA): In 50 yrs, we want an Africa that can use its resources to develop itself and to trade at an equal level #WEF #WEFAFRICA
— africatechie (@africatechie) May 9, 2013
Having fun co-tweeting with @aboccoat #WEFAFRICAtweeting dey be keke!
— Isis Nyong'o (@inyongo) May 9, 2013
The major takeaway from this session in my opinion was the need for African integration. Many of the other messages, we've heard already. South Africa, as a member of BRICS, is obviously a leader on the African continent. It needs to do more to support infrastructure on the continent and becoming a market for other African countries. You can watch the whole plenary here -
#leggo
PS: So Siyabonga saw his president in person for the first time at the World Economic Forum. Who's Siyabonga? Stay tuned.
Comments