A look back at 2022, and what you can expect from us this year
In the past year, the war against Ukraine has further intensified global crises and provoked geopolitical upheavals that mark a turning point for Europe. The shocks are weighing heavily on our neighbouring continent Africa. The war in Ukraine is driving up energy prices and inflation on the continent far more than in Europe. Lack of fertiliser?and grain supplies endanger the food supply in large regions. People in areas already suffering massively from climate change are particularly at risk. Africa has contributed little to greenhouse gas emissions, but is being hit disproportionately by climate change.?Climate change, the pandemic and war have created a poly-crisis of high dynamics in Africa.
It is all the more astonishing how resilient the continent's?economic development is proving to be. After Covid-related setbacks in 2020, African economies are slowly recovering and, according to the World Bank, recorded growth rates between four to six percent in 2021 and 2022. Especially from the point of view of energy and critical resources, African countries are becoming increasingly attractive.?A good basis for economic cooperation.?The continent also has much to offer in solving the global climate crisis. What African businesses and governments urgently need now is access to capital and debt relief, financing concepts for climate change adaptation and mitigation as well as a green energy transition. In the coming years, Africa will need a lot of energy to dynamically develop its economy, comprehensively reform its?agriculture to ensure the nutrition of its growing population, and it will have to find its footing in health care and pharmaceutical production.?
All these tasks require reliable international cooperation. For Europe, this cooperation promises many win-win opportunities, in the necessary economic diversification as well as in the fight against climate change. The crisis makes clear how much Europe needs Africa for its own future.?Shifting geopolitical and geo-economic structures is directing political and economic attention to Africa.
These major issues kept us very busy in 2022 and they will challenge us with even greater intensity in 2023. With the aim of deepening Germany's and Europe's economic and political relations with Africa, we?bring together decision-makers, thought leaders, and inspiring representatives of the next generation from business, politics, media and civil society from both continents.?We take on evidence-based research, make recommendations and foster?dialogue in one-on-one meetings, small forums and salons. Communication with our network is particularly important to us. Podcasts, Twitter Spaces and our newsletter offer facts, opinions and sophisticated entertainment.
In the following, we would like to introduce you to some of our prominent protagonists and draw your attention to important information, interesting publications and things worth listening to.
This is the number of protagonists who have had their say in exclusive circles at GPI in 2022 - in our flagship programme?The Africa Roundtable, on the panels in our salons, in interviews and statements. Because we want to bring the two continents into dialogue, it is a special concern of ours to bring in African voices and to hold?The Africa Roundtable?alternately in Berlin and on the African continent. We succeeded in doing this for the first time in 2022?following the invitation from the Senegalese government in Dakar.
Economic issues are at the core of our work, and many of our papers and interviews deal with economic development and Africa as a business case.?Climate change, health and nutrition?were further priorities in 2022. The?empowerment of women?is a major concern for us in all areas. Culture plays an important role when it comes to identity, mutual understanding and Europe's image of Africa.
Publications
领英推荐
Podcasts
For the?German edition of?The Africa Roundtable - The Podcast, journalist Danilo H?pfner recently spoke with Ugandan author? Jennifer Makumbi ?- who also inaugurated the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development's Africa Strategy - and the co-founder and director of the Center for Feminist Foreign Policy,? Kristina Lunz .
In the?English edition, journalist Laurence Ivil recently invited? Dr. Borna Nyaoke-Anoke of the? Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) ?to talk about the relationship between African and European countries in the field of pharmaceutical research and specifically in the field of Neglected Tropical Diseases.
Video
Coming together to learn from each other is important to us. Especially in the health sector, one can?benefit from the innovative approaches of start-ups.?During the? World Health Summit in Berlin, we therefore gathered four successful start-ups from the African continent to present their work and discuss with key stakeholders.?See the video series that was created during the event.
In 2023, the great challenges of climate change and a world?in search of a new order?will remain with us. The geopolitical situation highlights dependencies and calls for diversification. In the search for?resources,?markets,?and investment opportunities, Africa is moving into the focus of German and European business.?How can these options be realised, and?relations be deepened, in what way?must?framework conditions change, what is the state of competition on the continent??These questions will occupy us intensively, and we will always ask how we can jointly overcome climate change and achieve more global solidarity.
African female entrepreneurs will kick things off this month, before we again engage leaders from politics and business from Europe and Africa in Nairobi in April with?The Africa Roundtable?to?develop recommendations for shaping new trade and economic relations.?Green technologies, digitalisation, health and agriculture remain focal points.
In the program?line Business, we focus on the role of women, specifically?financial inclusion and the potential of female entrepreneurs. At the same time, business always demands innovation and future technologies - we are underlining their relevance for the African continent this fall?with?"New Space", the commercialization of space travel and its increasing integration with the traditional economy.
In the Health program line, we are focusing on the issue of?women's health, with a particular focus on the work of the Global Financing Facility. At the same time, we are revisiting the link between business and health when it comes to?pharmaceutical production on the African continent?and cooperation in manufacturing.?
We look forward to intensive analyses and discussions, and to many meetings that will bring our two continents closer together.?Please forward this issue of our newsletter to those who are essential to the dialogue between the two continents.?You can?sign up for our newsletter,?follow us on Twitter?and?stay in touch with us here. We look forward to the shared interactions.
We need support and partners for our work. We would like to take this opportunity to thank them.