GE Global Vice-Chairman, John Rice, others co-chair WEF in Abuja

The Global Vice-Chairman of General Electric (GE), John Rice is expected to co-chair the 2014 World Economic Forum on Africa, holding in Abuja on May 7-9, 2014.

 Rice, who is also the President and Chief Executive Officer, Global Growth and Operations, General Electric, will co-chair the economic summit alongside  Dominic Barton, Global Managing Director of McKinsey & Company, United Kingdom, Jean-François van Boxer, the Chairman of the Executive Board and Chief Executive Officer of Heineken, Netherlands, and Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive Officer, Dangote Group, Nigeria.

 Others include Moneta Dip, Special Envoy for Women, Peace and Security, African Union and President, Femmes Africa Solidarité, Switzerland, Jabu A. Mabuza, Chairman, Telkom Group, South Africa and Sunil Bharti Mittal, Founder and Chairman, Bharti Enterprises, India.

 The World Economic Forum is an international institution committed to improving the state of the world through public-private cooperation, in the spirit of global citizenship. Nigeria is hosting the Forum in Abuja, the seat of government. The theme for the event is “Forging Inclusive Growth, Creating Jobs”.

 The Forum will be declared open by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is aimed at beaming the searchlight on developmental issues in Africa and to create meeting grounds for both public and private partnership, towards the development of the continent.

 Africa’s remarkable growth trajectory is projected to remain above 5 percent in 2014 with West Africa the fastest growing sub-region, representing the continent’s largest business opportunity. Such momentum is a welcome and necessary boom to a region whose youthful population offers the prospects of a significant demographic dividend, fuelled by growth in consumer industries, manufacturing and business process outsourcing.

 GE has been a major player in infrastructure development and investment in African economies, particularly when viewed against the background of its recent investments in the Nigerian economy.

 It will be recalled that GE signed the first ever country-to-company agreement with the Nigerian government a few years ago, a platform which the company continues to expand and improve on as it strives to make Nigeria one of the hubs of its businesses in Africa. GE businesses in Nigeria continue to expand across sectors – Oil and Gas, Power and Water , Healthcare, Transportation and Aviation.

 Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy and most populous nation – with over 160 million inhabitants – already plays a crucial role in advancing the continent’s growth; yet it is also emblematic of the challenges of converting natural wealth into solutions that address persistent social challenges.

 As the foremost gathering on the continent, the 24th World Economic Forum on Africa will bring together regional and global leaders to discuss innovative structural reforms and investments that can sustain the continent’s growth, while creating jobs and prosperity for all its citizens.

DANIEL OBI