UCT conference to build Africa-India trade and investment bridges

Cape Town - The 2007 UCT GSB Doing Business in Africa Conference has been endorsed by the Department of Trade and Industry, Indian High Commission, Nepad Business Foundation, Business Unity South Africa, Industrial Development Corporation, Wesgro, Cape Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Cape Town Routes Unlimited.

It will bring together nearly 250 African and Indian participants – panellists and delegates – from commerce and industry, the government sector, academia, civil society and the media.

According to Dr Mills Soko, Conference Director and a Senior Lecturer at the UCT GSB, the growth in trade and investment ties between Africa and India provides significant opportunities to pursue mutually beneficial business partnerships through expanded trade and investment, and to develop marketing, technology and production partnerships.

Remarkable expansion

“The past few years have seen a remarkable expansion of trade and investment links between Africa and India. Thanks to India's rapidly modernising industries, coupled with a burgeoning middle class and purchasing power, African exports to India have grown exponentially. This growth has been spurred by a demand not only for natural resources and agricultural goods, but also for diversified non-traditional exports such as processed commodities, light manufactured products, household consumer goods, food, and tourism,” said Dr Soko.

He added that in recent years India has also emerged as an important investor in Africa. Indian companies have established a presence in Africa, covering as diverse a spectrum of sectors as computer software, information technology, financial services, automotives and pharmaceuticals.

The UCT GSB Conference, themed Connecting Two Continents, will take place at the business school's Cape Town campus over a period of two days from 20 - 21 September, and will take the form of interactive sessions with panellists acting as catalysts for discussion.

Dr Soko said the format is designed to create an intimate setting in which participants can exchange information and learn from African and Indian trade and investment experiences, identify opportunities for mutually beneficial relationships between African and Indian companies, and examine ways in which governments and the private sector can promote sustained economic growth in Africa and India.

The Conference will focus on six sectors with significant potential for the creation of commercial synergies between African and Indian businesses: Agri-business; Financial services; Information and Communication Technologies; Mining, Metals and Energy; Automobiles; and Tourism.

Leaders

Leaders on these panels will include: Tshediso Matona, Director General of the Department of Trade and Industry; Ndidi Okokwo-Nuleni, Founder and CEO of Leap Africa; Vikas Swarup, Deputy High Commissioner of India to SA; Jerry Vilakazi, CEO of Business Unity South Africa; Stanley Subramoney, CEO of PriceWaterhouseCoopers; Janine Myburgh, President of the Cape Regional Chamber of Commerce; Dr Moses Banda, former Economic Advisor to the President of the Republic of Zambia; Lumkile Mondi, Chief Economist of the lndustrial Development Corporation; Dianna Games, Executive Director of Africa@Work; Kuseni Dlamini, Executive Chairman of Richards Bay Coal Terminal; Nomhle Nkumbi-Ndopu, Deputy President of the Black Management Forum; Mischek Mbewe, New Business Development for Africa, Old Mutual; Ajay Pandey, CEO of Neotel, and Ranveer Singh, Regional Controller (West Africa) of OLAM International.

Dr Soko said that having the valuable expertise of these leaders under one roof and being able to engage with them on key issues and strategies would be a unique and exciting opportunity for business leaders from both SA and India to explore new territory.

He added that there is a great deal of complementarities between the economies, businesses and industries of Africa and India.

“India's strengths in information technology, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, railways and space research are relevant to Africa. On the other hand, India stands to benefit from African advances in agri-business, mining, the sugar and alcohol industry, and coal-to-fuel energy technology. Other sectors that could benefit from technology transfer, trade, investment and the setting up of joint ventures in Africa and India include food processing, automotives, retail, engineering, minerals and metals, petroleum and financial services.”

For details on the UCT GSB Conference, contact Hawa Parks on (021) 406 1442.

To arrange an interview with Dr Mills Soko, please contact Michael Morgan or Melanie Blythe on 021 465 9568 or email