KEPSA to Host Over 100 Global CEOs to a High Level Networking Session at #UNCTAD14

The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) will on Wednesday 20th July 2016 be hosting a High Level CEOs match making breakfast meeting for over 100 CEOs globally to discuss doing business while meeting the Sustainable development Goals (SDG’s).

The forum to be held within the ongoing UNCTAD14  conference under the theme ‘Global Business Partnership Experience’  will include top CEOs from Africa, Middle East ,Europe ,Asia and America  and will among other things focus on handling discussions around business partnership across borders, investment opportunities and doing business in Africa.

KEPSA CEO Carole Kariuki says the forum will provide a great opportunity for short business match-making sessions to deepen business discussions and dealings that would be of interest to UNCTAD, Kenya, Africa and the rest of the world.

“This is undoubtedly a forum that will help participants  network  and provide an opportunity for the forging of global partnerships between attending CEOs on behalf of their companies, countries and regions,” said Ms. Kariuki

Ms. Kariuki said the KEPSA High-Level CEOs Dialogue Forum is considered the best mode within which the private sector, business executives and magnates can engage among themselves and also with governments, development partners during an event of such magnitude.

“Africa’s private sector is coming of age. Hamstrung by a crippling environment and burdensome government policies for decades, it is now poised to assume its critical role as the engine of economic growth and poverty reduction on the continent,” Ms. Kariuki noted. While acknowledging   that Africa’s private sector, accounts for over four-fifths of total production, two-thirds of total investment, and three-fourths of total credit to the economy, and employs 90% of the employed working age population.

Ms. Kariuki noted that Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) considers High-Level CEOs Dialogue, an important network of like-minded CEOs and business leaders that meet face-to-face to discuss policy impacts on business.  Ideally mobilized through invitation only, CEOs are invited based on their specific role and business influence within their country of domicile, regionally and globally.

Ms. Kariuki added that this forum already recognized as a key component of the programme at UNCTAD14, will provide an avenue for policy dialogue; and opportunities for business interests, peers and conglomerates to form business coalitions of mutual interest between Kenya, Africa and the rest of the world.

UNCTAD has organised the World Investment Forum, which has brought together fund managers, investors, individuals looking for partnerships, mergers and acquisitions and to start new enterprises.

With an annual investment of Sh390 trillion required by developing countries to meet development objectives in the 2030 agenda, UNCTAD14 will examine how the private sector can fund the Sh250 trillion gap the countries have after public investments and global aid.

UNCTAD14 will have 10 side conferences. More than 10,000 delegates will be holding weeklong deliberations on key economic issues, including the fall in commodity prices, globalisation, economic partnerships and sustainable development.

UNCTAD is held every four years, with the last two having been held in Ghana and Qatar in 2008 and 2012 respectively.