Menu

Business France, an agency of the French government, is set to host Ambition Africa 2018 in Paris. The event, comprising of several conferences, will bring together 600 African and French companies, while focusing on the green economy, specifically the renewable energy, water, waste and mobility sectors.

The Ambition Africa 2018 event will take place on October 22-23. It aims to strengthen economic and trade ties between Africa and France. According to a statement released by Business France on Monday, the event will enable both African and French companies to share their expertise, meet their prospective partners and establish business relationships around conferences, thematic workshops and 3,000 business-to-business meetings.

“We want to show that French economic ecosystem is quite receptive, and that even some of our companies that have not yet been to Africa are keen to meet African partners, either to do business, to co-invest, or to welcome them into their business in France,” said Christophe Lecourtier, CEO of Business France.

The agency is organising the event in partnership with the French Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.

The topics to be discussed at the event include: 1) Solar, wind, hydroelectricity and gas: what energy mix for tomorrow’s Africa? 2) Access to water and waste management: two major challenges for Africa. 3) What urban transport to support Africa’s urban mobility?

“Support for private sector in Africa is a priority for both our aid to development and our economic diplomacy,” said Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Secretary of State to the French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs. “I encourage the actors of the French team to work hand in hand with our African partners to launch a new, strong and sustainable dynamic (partnership), particularly in the perspective of 2020 Africa-France Summit which will focus on the sustainable city.”

The high-profile speakers lined up for the event include Ibou Diouf, Head of SSATP (Sub-Saharan African Transport Policy) Programme at the World Bank; Amadou Kone, Ivorian Minister of Transport; Françoise d’Estais, Head of Finance in the Energy and Climate Department of United Nations Environment; Alban d’Hautefeuille, Head of Industrial and Commercial Unit at Total Solar – Africa and Middle East; and Linda Mabhena-Olagunju, Managing Director, DLO Energy Resources Group.

Business France was founded in 2015 through the merger of UBIFRANCE, the French Agency for international business development, and the French Agency for International Investment (InvestInFrance). Business France aims to foster the growth of export by SMEs and mid-sized companies, inform and support foreign investors in France and promote French companies, business image and nationwide attractiveness of France as an investment location.