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Africa and Europe’s top business and public sector leaders gather to chart Africa’s economic rebirth

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economic relationships

The event is the annual flagship forum in the African Continent of The European House – Ambrosetti

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, November 8, 2022/APO Group/ — 

Top African and European business leaders will be meeting in Johannesburg on 10-11 November to discuss strategic economic relationships and explore joint investment opportunities in target sectors at the 9th “Southern Africa Europe CEO Dialogue”.

The event is the annual flagship forum in the African Continent of The European House – Ambrosetti (no. 1 private Think Tank in Italy, no.4 in Europe and among the top 20 globally), organized in collaboration with the Gauteng Province, GGDA and a selection of international public and private players, such as Aspen, Brand SA, CLN-MA, DBSA, DHL Express, Finstone, BBM Law, Italian Agency for Development and Cooperation, Italian Trade Agency, Italtile, Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone, Qatar Airways, Rome Expo 2030 Nomination Committee and Sisal.

150 CEOs will be in attendance and among the confirmed speakers we are pleased to mention: Enoch Godongwana, Minister of Finance, South Africa; Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Energy and Minerals Resources, South Africa; Ronald Lamola, Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, South Africa;  Panyaza Lesufi, Premier of Gauteng Province; Trevor Manuel, Chairman, Old Mutual; Mpho Phalatse, Executive Mayor, City of Johannesburg; Andreas Brand, CEO and Executive Director: Manufacturing, Mercedes-Benz South Africa; Precious Moloi-Motsepe, CEO, Africa Fashion International; Jeffrey Sachs, Professor, Columbia University; Nhlanhla Nene, Chairman, Thebe Investment Corporation; Sade Gawanas, Executive Mayor, City of Windhoek; Adrian Saville, Professor of Economics, Finance & Strategy, Gordon Institute of Business Science; Riccardo Sciutto, CEO, Sergio Rossi; to name a few.

“Our CEO Dialogue aims to build an exclusive and influential community of leaders, for growing their enterprises, their countries and their continents. Every year, thanks to a unique multi-stakeholder approach, we gather key industrialists, governmental leaders, economists and heads of multi-lateral agencies, with the ambition to draw positive attention on strategic areas of economic cooperation and to foster international partnerships. In times of socio-economic change and unexpected challenges that follow the pandemic, such as the ongoing energy crisis, rising inflation, and the global supply chain disruption, we believe that, now more than ever, Africa is the place to be. It is the present and the future of global growth and development.” Pietro Mininni, Head of African Affairs, The European House – Ambrosetti

Luca Maestripieri, Director of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), underlined “The African continent – where 11 of the 20 priority countries for Italian Cooperation are located – and Southern Africa in particular, are at the center of Italy’s cooperation plans and offer great prospects also for the private entities with which AICS collaborates, thanks to the tools made available by the Agency. In this context, the next Southern Africa Europe CEO Dialogue represents an important opportunity for us to exchange views with local actors and stakeholders in order to establish future business partnerships that can respond to the sustainable development needs of partner countries”.

The past two years have shown the incredible value that logistics has in connecting people and improving lives across Sub Saharan Africa and across the globe. This is why we are excited to present the Future of African Cities report done in partnership with Ambrosetti. The study provides some striking insights on how secondary cities in Sub Saharan Africa will be key in driving inclusive and sustainable development on the continent. We are honoured to be part of the 9th Southern Africa Europe CEO Dialogue, and to be part of a global CEO Group that supports the growth of the continent through tangible commitments”. Hennie Heymans CEO, DHL Sub Saharan Africa

Giuseppe Scognamiglio, Director-General, Rome Expo 2030 Nomination Committee: “The big project of EXPO2030Rome will be an innovative platform for all the countries of the world, with the aim of finding together strategic solutions to the major problems of the future. Development and environmental sustainability will not be opposed against each other but will instead be two sides of the same coin, as will innovation and energy transformation; climate change and urban regeneration. This journey begins in 2022 in Johannesburg and, we hope, will bring us winners in Rome in 2030”.

According to Henk van der Merwe, Regional Leader at MA Automotive Tool & Die, “Our business environment has transformed over the past 3 years in unimaginable ways. The new normal will not be normal for long, we are clearly on an unprecedented rollercoaster ride. The Ambrosetti Summit provides the perfect platform for a well needed CEO dialogue, where captains of industry can share views and ideas on ways to navigate the current turmoil. I look forward to our collaboration and interaction”.

“The Musina Makhado Special Economic Zone is pleased to join the global network of The European House – Ambrosetti to promote dialogue and support the long-term growth of strategic trade and economic relations between Europe and Southern Africa. The annual CEO Dialogue has proven to be a strategic platform for top-level business and institutional leaders from both continents to share ideas, build strong partnerships, and learn about the enormous opportunities that exist within the Euro-African relations. We invite both local and international corporations to come join us in “The world of game-changing opportunities”.  MMSEZ-SOC is open for business.”, declared his Chief Executive Officer, Lehlogonolo Masoga”

Our CEO Dialogue aims to build an exclusive and influential community of leaders, for growing their enterprises, their countries and their continents

The COVID-19 pandemic clearly demonstrated the vast inequalities that exist in vaccines and therapeutic production and supply, unnecessarily increasing African mortality and morbidity. Local production capacities and capabilities ensure security of supply and even out vast distribution inequalities. Africa can never afford to find itself at the backend of the queue ever again and significant global focus and attention on realising appropriate and suitable vaccine and other therapeutic capabilities on the continent need to be intensified. Some of the immediate areas that require focus are the reform of global vaccine procurement mechanisms and the appropriate funding and financing of both procurement and the establishment of capacities.”, added Mr Stavros Nicolaou, Group Senior Executive: Strategic Trade Development at Aspen Pharmacare.

According to Mohan Vivekanandan, Group Executive at Development Bank of Southern Africa “The SA-EU Forum presents a substantial opportunity for the DBSA as a leading infrastructure financier in Africa to engage and strengthen relations with private companies from Europe operating across the infrastructure value chain with a shared ambition to scale infrastructure delivery across the African continent.”

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “Qatar Airways plays a key role in enabling international trade through serving some 150 global destinations. These include seven new routes in Africa, which we have developed after COVID travel restrictions eased, and many airports in Europe, where we have a number of market leading positions. Our aim is to facilitate long term economic impact in a sustainable manner and this week’s dialogue represents an important collaboration in addressing a number of significant challenges. Qatar is a global gateway that can deliver economic trade benefits between Europe and Southern Africa, as well as bridge cultures and political partnerships. This is being demonstrated by the FIFA World Cup in under two weeks when we are literally bringing the world together.”

The topics to be covered in the 2022 agenda are:

– The African geopolitical, business and investment outlook.

– CEO’s views on African business.

– New African cities and regions: urban regeneration, sustainability and SME development.

– Africa’s rebirth: the power of the creative economy.

– The energy outlook in Southern Africa: challenges and opportunities.

This edition of the Southern Africa Europe CEO Dialogue will be enhanced with side events on these themes:

– Towards World EXPO 2030: the candidacy of Rome to engage people and territories of Africa

– The role of health diplomacy and partnerships between Europe and Africa to ensure Health Security

– Engaging the private sector in Africa to foster economic growth

– Renewable energies: A turning point for South Africa?

– Business site visit to the OR Tambo Special Economic Zone

The Summit, by invitation only, is a key moment of the activities of the “CEO Community African Chapter”, a Club of top business leaders that integrates and enriches the outcomes of the annual conference. Heads of State, global CEOs and influential personalities regularly attend the business meetings (held under Chatham House Rule) in Johannesburg at Inanda Club and in the SADC region.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The European House – Ambrosetti.

Business

African Energy Week (AEW) 2026 Technical Sessions Put Technology Behind Africa’s Next Energy Projects in Focus

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African Energy Chamber

Day 2 technical sessions at African Energy Week 2026 will examine frontier exploration, major gas developments, project economics and the technologies supporting Africa’s expanding oil, gas and LNG sectors

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, September 22, 2026/APO Group/ –African Energy Week (AEW) 2026’s Day 2 Technical Stages will put the technology and technical expertise behind Africa’s next wave of energy projects in focus, with sessions covering subsurface interpretation, deepwater exploration, gas development, project economics, digitalization, offshore operations and infrastructure.

 




  

The program will unfold across two exhibition-hall stages, with the Drill Room focusing on practical applications across exploration, gas development, offshore operations and LNG, while the Innovation Hub will examine frontier exploration, energy markets, digital technologies and infrastructure. Together, the sessions connect project-level technologies with the wider investment and development challenges facing Africa’s energy industry.

The day opens with GeoEnergy Petroleum Director Maged Fahim, who will examine how legacy and newly acquired subsurface datasets can be integrated with modern technologies to identify additional upstream opportunities. TGS Principal Exploration Advisor Felicia Winter will then focus on Angola’s deepwater basins, examining how modern seismic acquisition and imaging can be used to reinterpret existing data and evaluate frontier plays.

The discussions come as Angola seeks to build on renewed offshore activity. TotalEnergies announced in September that it plans to invest $10 billion in Angola over the next five years, including in exploration, while advancing its $6 billion Kaminho deepwater development.

Gas development will take center stage through two presentations by TotalEnergies. Alexandre Depiesse, GPI Venus, will address appraisal strategies and commercial viability for Orange Basin discoveries, while Mozambique LNG Operations and Project Director Nicolas Cambefort will examine development and optimisation of the Rovuma Basin gas resources. Mozambique LNG, a 13.1-million-ton-per-year project in Area 1 led by TotalEnergies, resumed activities in January 2026 following the lifting of force majeure, putting development of Mozambique’s major offshore gas resources back into focus.

AEW 2026 reflects the practical challenges facing Africa’s energy industry as projects move from resource potential toward development and production

The Republic of Congo National Showcase will provide another perspective on Africa’s expanding LNG industry. The country’s Congo LNG project reached a new stage in February 2026 with the start of commercial production from its second phase. The addition of the Nguya FLNG unit brought total liquefaction capacity to 3 million tons per year, expanding Congo’s ability to monetize its offshore gas resources.

The program will then broaden from individual projects to the continent-wide investment outlook with the launch of The State of African Energy 2027. AEC Senior Vice President Verner Ayukegba and S&P Global Energy Executive Director Max Pietzsch will present the outlook, covering upstream oil and gas, LNG, downstream markets, power, renewables and critical minerals against changing demand, trade flows and energy security requirements.

Project decision-making will remain under examination as S&P Global Energy Technical Research Analyst Tasnika Goorhoo presents “From Limited Data to Better Decisions: How Benchmarking Strengthens Upstream Project Outcomes.” The session will examine how comparative project data can help operators assess performance, costs and development outcomes.

NOV Vice President Mats Anderson will address offshore optimization through high-speed downhole connectivity and real-time distributed measurements, examining how faster access to downhole information can improve operational visibility and decision-making.

Infrastructure will also feature prominently, with Kenyon International West Africa CEO Victor Ekpenyong examining asset integrity and pipeline infrastructure through the company’s CACTUS and FlexSteel technologies. Honeywell Technologies Africa will close the technology-focused sessions with its end-to-end LNG offering, while SLB, InSwitch, the Petroleum Directorate of Sierra Leone and PETROSEN will bring additional perspectives on technology, digitalization and energy services.

“AEW 2026 reflects the practical challenges facing Africa’s energy industry as projects move from resource potential toward development and production,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the AEC. “From subsurface interpretation and deepwater exploration to LNG development, project benchmarking, digitalization and infrastructure, these technical sessions highlight the expertise and technologies needed to develop Africa’s resources efficiently and create lasting value across the energy value chain.”

AEW 2026 takes place from October 12–16 in Cape Town, bringing together governments, investors, operators and technology providers to discuss investment, project development and the future of Africa’s energy sector.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

 




 

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Rising power costs put energy strategy at the centre of industrial competitiveness

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South Africa

C&I Energy + Storage Summit Johannesburg to focus on the procurement, cost and investment decisions facing South Africa’s large energy users

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, September 22, 2026/APO Group/ –The cost of electricity is no longer only an energy issue for South African businesses. It is increasingly a question of competitiveness, investment and long-term operational resilience.

Recent figures show the pressure on large power users. Business Day reported on 7 September that South Africa’s mining and industrial majors paid Eskom R115 billion for electricity in the 2025/26 financial year. According to Eskom’s annual report, industrial electricity demand fell by more than 22% over the same period as high power costs weighed on energy-intensive operations.

 




  

At the same time, major businesses are moving to alternative supply. Reuters reported on 26 August that South African mining companies are accelerating investment in renewable energy to cut costs, diversify supply and meet decarbonisation targets.

For commercial and industrial energy users, the question is no longer simply how to secure power. It is how to buy it, what to invest in, and which energy strategy makes the strongest commercial sense.

Energy procurement is becoming more complex

Businesses are now weighing several procurement options at once. Should they sign a long-term PPA? Buy through an electricity trader? Wheel renewable power across the grid? Invest in behind-the-meter generation? Add battery storage? Each option carries different implications for cost, risk, contracting and long-term flexibility.

These decisions will take centre stage at the C&I Energy + Storage Summit Johannesburg, taking place on 28–29 October 2026 at The Maslow Hotel, Sandton. The programme is built around the practical challenges facing energy buyers today, with a focus on real projects, commercial models and implementation rather than technology in isolation.

A programme built around the buyer’s decisions

The summit closes with the C&I Decision Clinic: Ask the Experts, a masterclass where attendees submit real project challenges in advance and receive practical, anonymised responses from experts. Questions on the table include whether to build onsite PV or sign a wheeled PPA, how much battery storage makes commercial sense, what a bankable project preparation pack should contain, and what financiers require before term sheet stage.

It follows The C&I Energy Playbook: Five decisions business leaders need to make now, a closing panel in which the moderators of key summit sessions distil the programme into the priorities C&I businesses should act on.

Other sessions address the questions buyers are asking now:

  • Energy storage beyond backup power: unlocking commercial value examines peak shaving, demand charge management, energy arbitrage and hybrid PV-plus-storage business models, along with the operational realities of dispatch, degradation and warranties.
  • Making public-private engagement work for you unpacks how wheeling agreements are structured in practice, where interface risks arise, and how businesses can engage utilities and municipalities early.
  • Reducing energy costs without building new generation is a case-study-led workshop on energy efficiency, operational optimisation, demand response and digital energy management.
  • Projects Spotlight gives energy users the floor to share the strategies they have implemented, the lessons learned and the outcomes achieved.

The programme opens with the keynote panel Threats and opportunities in South Africa’s industrial future, bringing together policymakers, industrial leaders, financiers, and energy and water experts.

Bringing energy buyers into the conversation

The summit’s Hosted Buyer Programme is designed for qualified end-user energy buyers across sectors including mining, manufacturing, property, agriculture and other energy-intensive industries. Hosted buyers take part in the full programme and receive curated engagement with solution providers across energy procurement, storage deployment and project development.

Four events, one venue

The summit is co-located with the EIUG Conference, Water Security Africa and the Data Centre Summit, bringing the energy, water and digital infrastructure communities together in Sandton. It is brought to you by Enlit Africa, with ESI Africa as host media, and is accredited by the SAIEE.

Qualified commercial and industrial energy users can apply for the Hosted Buyer Programme at https://apo-opa.co/4yPnXOg, and bring their project questions to the Decision Clinic.

Full programme: https://apo-opa.co/4xK2ANv

 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

 




 

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Beyond the carbon credit: Who sets the terms for Africa’s carbon markets?

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From project ownership and verification to pricing and benefit-sharing, CMAS 2026 will bring African market leaders and global decision-makers together to examine who creates and captures value

KIGALI, Rwanda, September 22, 2026/APO Group/ –A carbon credit may be traded as a single unit, but its value is shaped long before it reaches a buyer. Decisions about project ownership, finance, data, verification and benefit-sharing determine who participates, who carries the risk and who ultimately benefits. As new regulations and international partnerships expand market access, these questions are becoming increasingly important across Africa.

 




 
 

They will be central to the Carbon Markets Africa Summit (CMAS) 2026, taking place from 13 to 15 October at the Kigali Convention Centre in Rwanda. The summit will convene African governments, project developers, investors, buyers and technical experts involved in decisions across the carbon-market value chain.

Countries are approaching these decisions from different regulatory, economic and environmental positions. While recent developments in East Africa demonstrate growing market activity, questions concerning international requirements, technical capacity, investment and benefit-sharing are relevant across Africa.

Ousmane Fall SARR, Coordinator of the West African Alliance on Carbon Markets and Climate Finance, says:

“African countries are developing carbon markets from different starting points. Stronger African expertise and regional cooperation will be important if the continent is to contribute to the standards and market practices that determine how its projects compete, attract investment and create value.”

Against this continental backdrop, East Africa provides a timely example of how the market is developing. In January 2026, Rwanda and Singapore invited applications for carbon-credit projects under their bilateral Implementation Agreement, aligned with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Credits from authorised projects may be used by eligible Singapore-based carbon tax-liable companies to offset up to 5% of their taxable emissions, subject to both governments’ requirements.

African countries are developing carbon markets from different starting points

Across the continent, carbon market frameworks are rapidly taking shape. Kenya and Uganda are strengthening regulatory oversight, regional partnerships are helping governments build market capacity and infrastructure, and South Africa is advancing reforms to modernise its carbon-credit ecosystem and attract investment. Together, these developments are bringing greater focus to questions of authorisation, project ownership, verification, pricing and access to international buyers, while also raising expectations that carbon finance should deliver sustainable economic and development value beyond the credit itself.

Emmanuelle Nicholls, Portfolio Director for CMAS, says:

“A carbon credit may be the final product, but behind it are decisions about ownership, data, risk, pricing and who ultimately benefits. The conversations in Kigali will examine what credible participation looks like across the full carbon-market value chain.”

These decisions have consequences beyond individual transactions. Carbon finance is increasingly connected to conservation, agriculture, soil restoration, food security, clean energy and waste management. Its success will therefore also be judged by whether projects produce credible environmental outcomes and lasting benefits for African economies and communities.

A practical example comes from the Chinko Conservation Area in the Central African Republic, where revenue from the Chinko Carbon Project is channelled through a community fund that supports locally selected initiatives, including the expansion of a medical centre in Agoumar. At CMAS 2026, African Parks and Welthungerhilfe, both Bronze Sponsors, will share perspectives on how carbon finance can support conservation, climate resilience, food systems and community development, while highlighting broader questions around project governance, impact and the distribution of value.

From project-level impact to market-wide structures, these questions will underpin discussions at CMAS 2026. The programme will address government authorisation, buyer requirements, pricing and offtake, investment risk, early-stage finance, registries and African measurement, reporting and verification capacity. It will connect the question of who sets the terms with the practical requirements for building credible, investment-ready projects and transactions.

CMAS 2026 is hosted by the Ministry of Environment of Rwanda, with UNDP and the African Development Bank as host organisations, the Development Bank of Southern Africa as host partner and AUDA-NEPAD as strategic institutional partner.

Taking place ahead of COP31, CMAS will focus attention on the decisions behind every carbon credit and what they mean for African governments, projects, investors and communities.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of VUKA Group.

 




 

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