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Economist Impact announces speakers for Sustainability Week Africa
Economist Impact has announced speakers for the inaugural Sustainability Week Africa scheduled to take place from Thursday, October 24 to Friday, October 25, 2024.
The two-day conference will bring together Pan-African and global leaders in-person at The Westin, Cape Town, South Africa.
The conference themed ‘‘Africa’s green industrial revolution’ is set to bring more than more than 500 delegates and 100 speakers to explore strategies towards a successful Pan-African sustainability initiative.
The Sustainability week Africa Is part of a successful series of sustainability events by the Economist Impact. The conference will focus on “Africa’s green industrial revolution” plus conversations on changing how businesses operate to achieve their sustainability goals.
In addition, the conference will delve into the areas of business and investment, providing original insights and solutions on how companies can support the continent in driving green growth, while avoiding the worst impacts of climate change.
Vijay Vaitheeswaran, the Global Energy and Climate innovation editor at The Economist will deliver the opening remarks, followed by keynote addresses from Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Tolupe Lewis Tamoka, Chief, Government Relations and Africa at the United Nations Global Compact.
With more than 500 delegates and 100 speakers confirmed, Sustainability Week Africa will welcome many figures from the sustainability community, including governmental officials, global investors and senior executives from key sectors such as retail, transportation, logistics, food and beverages, energy, agriculture, manufacturing, technology, finance, science, and civil society.
There will be other globally renowned speakers who will focus on Africa’s role as a global sustainability leader and explore strategies for enhancing Africa’s appeal to international investors, discussing insights from successful Pan-African sustainability initiatives.
The list of speakers expected at the Sustainability Week Africa include:
Mo Ibrahim, Founder and Chair, Mo Ibrahim Foundation
Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General, United Nations
Nigar Arpadarai, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion, COP29
Carl Hermann Gustav Schlettwein, Minister of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform, Republic of Namibia
Dan Marokane, Group Chief Executive Officer, Eskom
Stéphanie Mbombo, Presidential Special Envoy for New Climate Economy, Democratic Republic of Congo
Feroz Koor, Group Sustainability Officer, Woolworths Group
Mandisa Mabaso, Country Manager, South Africa, Rio Tinto
Barend Petersen, Executive Chairman, De Beers Group South Africa, Deputy Chair, Mining 2030 and Representative, Archbishop of Cape Town
Noluthando Gosa, Independent Non-Executive Director, MTN Group, Executive Director, Akhona Group, and Adviser, Sustainability Week Africa
Mpho Makwana, Former Chairman, Nedbank, Eskom and ArcelorMittal South Africa, Chairman, Epitome Investment, and Adviser, Sustainability Week Africa
Joseph Nganga, Vice President for Africa, Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), and Adviser, Sustainability Week Africa
Vaughan Pierce, Chief Sustainability Officer, Pick n Pay
The programme will explore a variety of topics, including opportunities for the continent to strengthen its manufacturing capabilities and increase its share of the global value chain.
Discussions will also centre on sustainable growth for small businesses and suppliers across the continent, addressing the compatibility of sustainability with population growth and its implications for food security.
In addition, the event will highlight the potential of green jobs and explore collaborations between companies and the African youth and explore biodiversity’s crucial role in Africa and the benefits of intra-African trade for advancing sustainability.
Sustainability Week Africa will also include a CSO leaders club, curated networking sessions and cross-industry sessions aimed at leveraging synergies.
Sponsors of Sustainability Week Africa include Woolworths, Standard Bank, Nedbank, Boston Consulting Group, Amazon Web Services, Genesis Analytics, United Nations Global Compact, Webber Wentzel and the City of Cape Town.
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NTC starts New Year with thanksgiving service
Reverend praying for management
The New Times Corporation (NTC), publishers of the Ghanaian Times and The Spectator newspapers on Wednesday held a thanksgiving service to kick-start its operations for the year.
Speaking on the theme ‘The essence of thanksgiving,’ Reverend Joshua Samson Aduamah, Head of the Accra North and South Association of the Ghana Baptist Convention (GBC), urged staff to continue to give thanks to God because he is good and his mercies endure forever.
“God is great because He fights battles we don’t see. We sleep and believe it’s a template for us to wake up,” he said.
Citing Psalm 123:1-4, he explained that “we must emulate the lifestyle of David and the fact that he adores God in every situation.”
The Editor of the Spectator and Acting Managing Director of the Corporation, Mrs Georgina Naa-Maku Quaittoo, thanked staff for their support and immense contribution over the years despite the challenges and urged them to eschew all forms of laziness and adopt professionalism and positive working habits.
According to her, in order to yield positive results, staff must rededicate themselves to responsibilities to achieve greater things.
“There are brighter days ahead; with resilience and hard work we would sail through.”
She further called on government to support the corporation to work to improve its fortunes.
Management and staff of the corporation were led in praises and worship by Mrs Chystable Aduamah, wife of the preacher.
In attendance were the Acting Editor of The Ghanaian Times, Alhaji Abdul Rahman, Acting Marketing Manager, Mr Ofori Addo among others.
By Linda Abrefi Wadie
News
Rise of Prof. Naana Jane Opoku Agyeman A beacon of hope for women
Founder and General Overseer of Kingspride Word Chapel International, Rev. Dr Sam Ayi Ankrah has described the ascension of Prof. Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang to the office of a vice president as a significant recognition and affirmation of women’s capabilities and roles of leadership in society.
According to him, women are a repository of lofty capabilities which remained insufficiently tapped for the benefit of society.
At a consecration service of a 66-year old Joyce Adomako into the office of ‘The Church Mother’ on Sunday, Rev. Dr Ankrah stated that the investiture of the first female vice president highlighted the capabilities and acceptance of women as equals in leadership, challenging the traditional patriarchal norms in the political space.
In a sermon titled: ‘Considering me worthy and appointing me to serve,’ he said that the investiture has also set the tone for greater representation of women in decision-making and leadership at all levels.
He also indicated stated that, the honour reflected a commitment to inclusivity, signaled progress toward gender equity in the political spaces and disproved the beliefs that prohibited women from holding higher leadership positions.
He further stated that her new position symbolised a significant and historic shift in political leadership paradigms, emphasising the promotion of equality and the broader role of women in community building.
That, he advised, the vice president to inspire broader societal change by demonstrating the importance of breaking barriers to leadership for women.
Rev. Dr Ankrah then urged Ms Adomako to use her vast experience and deep knowledge and understanding of life to offer guidance and counseling to the congregation to inspire positivity towards unearthing their abilities for the greater benefit of their communities.
Ms Adomako for her part, also advised women, particularly young women to avail themselves for the tutelage of older generation and take inspiration from the position of the current vice president and other women trailblasers to guide their pursuits.
By Ken Afedzi
