World Economic Forum begins in S.Africa

By Hassan Isilow

JOHANNESBURG (AA) - Achieving inclusive growth through responsive and responsible leadership will be the focus of the World Economic Forum in Africa beginning in South Africa’s city of Durban Wednesday, organizers said.

The summit aims to motivate leaders to change the way they approach development planning by designing policies that allow everyone to benefit from economic growth.

Over 1,000 business leaders from across the globe will participate in the three-day event, which has also attracted several African heads of state.

According to organizers, the presidents of Mauritius, Uganda, and Zambia have confirmed attendance. Possible other attendees include the presidents of Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, and Ghana.

The summit comes at a time when most African countries, including the host, are facing slow economic growth, low commodity prices, and looming droughts that have affected food production.

“The meeting’s other priority is to help Africa prepare for the huge changes the world is about to experience as a result of the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” the organizers said in a media statement.

They say rapid physical, digital and biological technological advances are giving rise to a new era that will have a profound effect on how humans live, work, and interact with one another.

The forum will suggest to African leaders that “Building the right institutions, developing relevant skills, and enhancing access to knowledge will all be crucial to Africa’s future prospects,” the statement said.

The conference will also discuss food and water security, preventing tropical deforestation, and securing investment to tackle Africa’s large infrastructure gap, among other issues.