By Gloria Amoh
The President of the Asogli Traditional Area and the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, Togbe Afedie XIV, has been invited to be distinguished panelist at Havard’s Africa Development Conference (ADC) 2024. The conference is set to take place on April 12 and 13, 2024, at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The Africa Development Conference (ADC) is an annual collaborative event that is student-led and organized by current students of African descent at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Harvard Law School, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Harvard School of Public Health, and Harvard College.
This Conference stands as the premier global platform for meaningful discourse on Africa’s development and facilitates crucial conversations that shape the continent’s future. Also, this assembly of prominent personalities highlights the event’s significance as a platform for dialogue and collaboration on practical solutions to propel the continent towards sustainable development and underscores the importance of leveraging African leaders’ knowledge and experience in this regard.
Heads of state and influential figures, such as Kenyan President William Ruto, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, Angolan President João Lourenço, WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and former Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam, are set to come together to share progressive policies, fostering partnerships for Africa’s development.
The theme for this year’s Africa Development Conference (ADC) is Africa Delivers: Pragmatic Paths to Prosperity, which spotlights the continent’s progress and potential amid global challenges, spanning vital sectors such as law, governance, international relations, economics, business, technology, environment, security, health, education, media, and the arts.
The organizers are excited about the inclusion of a panel devoted to trading in and with Africa, a realm in which they believe Togbe’s wealth of knowledge and expertise is invaluable. The panel will explore the transformative potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and its implications for the future of trade in Africa, and discuss how it can strategically address energy supply and transportation infrastructure challenges.
Also, as the Executive Chairman of World Trade Centre Accra and a member of the Board of the World Trade Centers Association, New York, the organizers believe that Togbe’s “deep engagement in the field of trade and commerce” makes him an ideal panelist, and that his leadership and contributions to the establishment of companies demonstrate his expertise in finance, economics, corporate advisory, and infrastructure development—all of which are crucial aspects of trade in Africa.”.
However, the organizers expressed their belief that Togbe’s insights will greatly enrich the discussion on the transformative potential of AfCFTA and sustainable trade partnerships and contribute to the collective dialogue on Africa’s development journey.
Additionally, the invitation of Togbe Afede XIV, who had been a participant at Harvard’s Annual Global Empowerment Meeting, not only honors his contributions to economic development in Africa but also provides a forum for him to share his vision for the continent and his insights into strategic approaches for overcoming infrastructure deficits and ensuring energy security.
The Harvard Africa Development Conference 2024 is poised to be a landmark event, offering actionable insights and fostering partnerships that will be instrumental in unlocking Africa’s economic potential.
