Presented in Milan on July 15, Taormina will host this year too, the third edition of the Forum on Africa to be held next 1 and 2 October 2009.
There are three main themes for the 2009 edition of the Forum: telemedicine, education, food.
The Forum ‘The development of Africa: an opportunity for Europe, Italy and Sicily‘ is realised by Fondazione Banco di Sicilia with the support of The European House – Ambrosetti, a professional consulting group.
“Africa – as stated on a press release – has been too long forgotten by the mechanisms of global business and held in low regard in the big international economic and financial games. Today, however, it would be a mistake to continue to move in this direction. The African continent (even though the effects of the global meltdown) is launching signs of recovery: an overall GDP growth, a trend of development which involves many of its countries, a young population which have the potential to ensure the future workforce and enthusiasm in business”.
“The theme is very up-to-date as many experts, politicians and economists from around the world, are talking everyday about Africa. Fondazione Banco di Sicilia did so a long time ago. With farsightedness – Giovanni Puglisi, President of Fondazione Banco di Sicilia, stressed – we looked to Africa two years ago, trying to identify what are its potential economic levers”.
“This Forum is a project by the major economic, social and cultural rights. It is an annual event now expected and known even beyond the border. The fact that this meeting takes place in Sicily, a geographically natural bridge between Europe and Africa, it gives more sense to the efforts of our Foundation, which has as its primary goal, the enhancement of the island territory and its resources”.
This is the list of confirmed guests:
- James Heckman (Nobel Laureate for Economy, 2000, USA),
- Amr Moussa (Secretary General, Arab League),
- Jean-Paul Fitoussi (Economic Professor, Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris, France),
- Kerry Kennedy (Founder, Robert F. Kennedy Center for Human Rights, USA),
- Renato Brunetta (Minister of Public Administration and Innovation, Italy)
- Vincenzo Scotti (Undersecretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Italy),
- Luc Montagnier (Nobel Laureate for Medicine, 2008, France),
- Andrea Riccardi (Founder, Sant’Egidio Community, Italy),
- Nicholas Negroponte (Founder, One Laptop per Child, USA),
- Dominick Salvatore (Economics Professor, Fordham University, New York),
- Ana Palacio, Senior Executive Vice President, Foreign Relations and Member of the Executive Committee, AREVA, Spain),
- Caleb Fundanga (Governor, Central Bank of Zambia),
- Gérard-François Dumont (Professor of Demography, La Sorbonne, Paris, France),
- David Olusanya Ajakaiye (Director of Research, AERC – African Economic Research Consortium, Kenya),
- Alexander Sarris (Director, Trade and Markets Division, Economic and Social Development Department, FAO),
- Adolfo Urso (Vice Minister for Economic Development, Italy),
- Ivanhoe Lo Bello (Chairman, Sicily Confindustria, Italy),
- Salim Amim (Chairman, A24 Media, Kenya),
- Clive Tasker (CEO, Standard Bank Africa, South Africa),
- Sheikh Samir Mirdad (Chairman, Linx Investments, Dubai; advisor to governmental organizations in the Arabian Gulf),
- Sheila Sudhakaran (Director Africa Desk, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry,
India), - Li Guo Fu (Director of the Department for Developing Countries, China Institute of International Studies, China),
- Pierre Ewenczyk (Senior Economist, Paris Office, IMF),
- Assane Mayaki (CEO, Nepad)
Download the full program by The European House Ambrosetti
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