Conference Presentation, Panel, Fireside Chat
Access to Global Capital Initiative: Corporate and Investor Roundtable
Milken InstituteTony Blair, Paul Kagame, Strive Masiyiwa, Seth Merrin, Mike Milken, Mindy Silverstein
- Strategic initiatives targeting Rwanda and East Africa aim to generate job growth, integrate the region into global investment indices, and expand the effective market from 11 million to 135 million people, with plans to include South Sudan and ultimately reach 11 countries in a regional integration effort.
- Specific timelines include sending investors to Rwanda within the next six months, completing data collection for broader index inclusion, and expecting the African Governance Initiative to operate in 10 countries by year-end before seeking to exit donor dependency.
- Infrastructure and energy forecasts anticipate the commencement of the East African Railway and Inga hydro project first phases, a significant increase in power stations via Power Africa, and a projection that mobile penetration in Africa will reach 100% by 2015.
- Economic projections suggest emerging markets will eventually comprise 70% or more of the global economy, with India projected to hold the world's largest middle class and become the largest consuming country, while the US faces a projected shortage of nearly 70 million qualified technology workers over the next decade.
- Demographic trends highlight Africa's youth, with the entire future 40-year-old population already born, driving expectations for rapid development and the deployment of solar energy as the primary power source.
- Business expansion plans involve a company viewing Rwanda as a gateway to every East African country, distributing solar chargers to 40 African nations, and achieving mobile market penetration of 150% in Botswana.
- Operational impacts include a reported rise in electricity access in Mozambique from 8% to 37% over ten years, with predictions that solar lighting could improve educational performance by 20-30%, alongside expectations for UST Global to establish business operations in Rwanda shortly.
- Risk mitigation efforts are directed at overcoming the negative perception of recent events, specifically the terrorist attack in Nairobi, to restore investor comfort and encourage capital flow across the wider integrated space.
- Leadership optimism regarding Africa is noted as exceeding that for Latin America, based on observed improvements in leadership quality and the urgency of key partners to advance regional projects.