Report on WEF Africa 2015

Prepared by Kow Essuman and Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor 1

REPORT

ON

WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM ON AFRICA 2015

IN

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA

BY

KOW ESSUMAN

AND

EMMANUEL AGBEKO GAMOR

OF

GLOBAL SHAPERS COMMUNITY

(ACCRA HUB)

Dated: 18 June 2015


INTRODUCTION

Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor and Kow Essuman were invited by the World

Economic Forum to represent the Global Shapers Community, Accra Hub, at the

2015 World Economic Forum on Africa held in Cape Town, South Africa from 3 –

5 June 2015. This year’s Forum marked 25 years of the Forum on Africa and had

the theme, “Then and Now, Reimagining the Africa’s Future.” This year’s Forum

coincided with 25 years of change in Africa and the Millennium Development

Goals and ongoing discussion on how to sustain Africa’s economic growth and

the new Sustainability Development Goals.

2 JUNE 2015

#WEAREAFRICA

On 2 June 2015, the night before the Forum, the Durban and Cape Town Hubs

organized a networking event. It was a meet-and-greet session where the 80

Shapers had the opportunity to meet and greet each other. At the event, we were

given practical tips on how to benefit from networking at the Forum. Naadiya from

the Cape Town Hub provided the following tips to the group:

1. Create a hit list, which is a list of all the people you would like to meet at

the Forum;

2. Have a 5 second introductory statement that should make the person

listening to you be interested in having a conversation with you;


3. Let your listener know what you can do for them rather than what they can

do for you or what you can get from them;

4. If you are lucky to receive your listener’s business card, make a note on

the business card about what your conversation with that person entailed

and why you need to contact that person; and

5. When you return home, email your listener and let them know it was a

pleasure meeting them and discussing “a, b and c”. The benefit of

emailing is that the person always has a record of you even if they throw

your business card away.

3 JUNE 2015

SHAPERS ORIENTATION

On 3 June 2015, we had a Global Shapers Private

Event, where we were officially welcome by Chidiogo

Akunyili (Senior Community Manager, Global Shapers

Community) and her team. We were informed about the

World Economic Forum, its purpose and what it sought

to achieve. We were also informed about the Global

Shapers Community and why it had been created.

We were then given tips about how to conduct ourselves at the Forum and

generally within the Community. We were encouraged to sell the Global Shapers

brand. Thus, at any given time during the Forum when we had to introduce

ourselves, we were advise to state “I am Kow Essuman, a Global Shaper from

the Accra Hub”.


Yemi (Head of the Global Shapers Community) joined

us and explained further the structure and purpose of

the Global Shapers Community. He indicated that the

Global Shapers Community had surmounted all its

challenges and one challenge it faces now is how it can

fund itself. He informed us about his funding strategy

and how we can help achieve that. He explained that

he wants to raise funds at various levels in the following manner:

Global level - $1million

Regional level - $250,000 x 3 countries in the region (So for instance in Africa, he is targeting Nigeria, South

Africa to provide such funds.)

National level - $150,000 x 2 sponsors (For instance, in Ghana we should have two sponsors, who

would give $150,000 each to the Global Shapers Community

and that 2/3 of the amount raised nationally will remain in the

country in which it was raised.)

We had the opportunity to take photographs with the #SHAPEsustainability

goals.


SHAPER PROJECTS

Three Shapers shared the projects they were working on in their respective

Hubs. We then had breakout sessions where we discussed the projects

presented and suggested solutions to the challenges.


ABRAAJ GROUP TALK

Representatives from the Abraaj Group joined us and told us about the Abraaj

Group. They explained their investment model and what they consider before

making an investment. They took questions from the Shapers present.


COCA-COLA EVENT

We had a Coca-Cola dinner and panel discussion on businesswomen, which was

moderated by Rosalin Abigail Kyere-Nartey of the Kumasi Hub. That same

evening, Emmanuel was nominated as a “fire-starter” for a panel discussion on

gender parity on the same evening.



GENDER PARITY DINNER

Emmanuel Gamor was invited to a private dinner hosted by Biola Alabi with

prominent women including Nigeria’s former minister of finance Ngozi Okonjo-

Iweala, Ghana’s Foreign Minister, Hannah Tetteh and UN – Women Executive

Director, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. As a fire-starter Emmanuel shared all the

women who have been instrumental in his personal and professional growth and

was presented with a #HeForShe pin by Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka for being an

advocate for women empowerment and ally in enforcing the growth and

advancement of women in the work place.


4 JUNE 2015

MEETING PROF. KLAUS SCHWAB

The Global Shapers had a Meet the Leader session with Prof. Schwab (Founder

of the World Economic Forum), who challenged us about our identity. He stated

that our brain, soul and heart must be in sync with each other and everything we

do. According to Prof. Schwab, the brain deals with how you think and what you

do on a daily basis; your soul is what moves you and your vision; and your heart

has your passion to do what you do. He challenged the Shapers to lead the


campaign on conserving Africa’s wildlife resource.

PANEL PARTICIPATION

Emmanuel was featured on a panel on the topic: “Data Revolution” and shared

his thoughts and ideas on the subject. The moderator was Clare Akamanzi, and

the following persons were the panelists Jamie Drummond (One Campaign),

Daniella Ballou-Aares, Helen Hai, Dr. Ernest Darkoh and Emmanuel Agbeko

Gamor.

The panel explored how effective data can help promote governance and

innovation. Emmanuel’s main contribution centered on: Africa's data revolution

will be truly realized when there is localization and translation of content so that

young people on the continent may adapt technology to truly suit our needs.

OTHER NOTABLE EVENTS

We had other Meet the Leader sessions with other persons including Graca

Machel, Ashish Thakkar and Acha Leke.


We participated in Partners Networking Event, where we networked with the

partners of the World Economic Forum and sold the Global Shapers brand.

Thereafter, President Jacob Zuma and the South African government hosted a

dinner and soiree for attendees at the Forum. The dinner was climaxed by an

exhilarating performance by Mafikizolo! amidst dancing.

The South Africa Mokete was delight to all in attendance.

5 JUNE 2015

BBC INTERVIEW


Emmanuel Agbeko Gamor was selected to speak to the BBC on its Focus on

Africa programme. The BBC Focus on Africa programme was an opportunity to

share expectations of Global Shapers at the Forum and positive next steps on

how to achieve what is discussed after the Forum. Emmanuel highlighted that

one of the most pressing utility for The Forum on Africa is for collaboration and

collective next steps in improving the state of the continent.

MEETING WITH PAUL POLMAN

The Shapers had a Meet the Leader session with Paul Polman (the CEO of

Unilever).

He shared his experience as a CEO and his commitment to development. He

spoke about the Sustainable Development Goals and how they intend to

achieved it.


SHAPERS DE-BRIEFING

We had a Shapers de-briefing session where we shared our experiences at the

Forum. We discussed what our challenges are, our aspirations as Shapers and

our commitments.

FINAL THOUGHTS

1. We need to encourage more Shapers to attend World Economic Forum

events by sharing our experiences and how it has helped us in develop

personally and professionally.

2. We need to leverage the Global Shapers Community brand in Accra and

promote its identity.

3. We need to identify those two sponsors that are willing to commit to the

Global Shapers Community in line with Yemi’s fundraising strategy.

4. We need to be coordinated in our efforts.

5. Improving the state of the world is not just a World Economic Forum

mandate, it is a rallying call for all citizens and we need to be active

agents in achieving this.


Documents

Report on WEF Africa 2015