NEW YORK, United States of America, September 21, 2026/APO Group/ –Africa is pushing for a bigger role in shaping the global economy, as business leaders, heads of state, investors, policymakers, and global partners converged in New York yesterday to articulate the continent’s ambition in global trade, investment, and value creation. Held alongside the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, Unstoppable Africa 2026 put Africa’s business agenda at the center of the global conversation.

 




  

The fifth edition of the Global Africa Business Initiative’s (GABI) flagship convening drew senior leaders from across business, government, and global institutions to the Marriott Marquis in Times Square, including UN Secretary-General H.E. António Guterres; H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission; and Massad Boulos, Senior Advisor to the President of the United States on Arab and African Affairs.

The UN Secretary-General called for action to give Africa a greater role on the global stage, including a permanent presence on the United Nations Security Council: “Africa needs a permanent presence on the United Nations Security Council, where it can contribute to dialogue and action for the whole globe.” He stressed that Africa’s growing influence in global markets must translate into a stronger voice in international affairs. Guterres also urged reforms to better reflect the needs of developing countries, particularly in Africa, and for the continent’s natural resources, including critical minerals, to generate more local value and decent jobs rather than simply being exported.

With critical minerals, trade, energy, and investment dominating the first day, Unstoppable Africa reflected a wider shift in Africa’s economic story: from supplying the global economy to building more of the businesses, industries, and value chains that can capture the opportunity.

H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, said Africa’s 1.5 billion people and growing market create a significant opportunity, but the continent must accelerate the development of African value chains and remove barriers to trade to drive industrial transformation. He identified affordable energy, better infrastructure, access to finance, skills, technology, and clear standards as critical requirements for Africa to turn its market potential into faster economic growth.

The private sector took center stage, as African and global business leaders articulated what it will take to turn Africa’s resources, markets, and talent into productive economic capacity. The Leaders Panel brought together Samaila Zubairu, President and CEO of the Africa Finance Corporation; Aliko Dangote, Founder and Chairman of the Dangote Group; Mandy DeFilippo, CEO of Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa at Standard Chartered; Nonkululeko Nyembezi, Chairperson of Standard Bank Group; Nolitha Fakude, Chairperson of Anglo American South Africa; and Tidjane Thiam, General Partner at Allied Critical Minerals Fund.

Leaders stressed the need to move beyond exporting raw materials, including critical minerals and crude oil, by developing local processing, manufacturing, and value chains that create jobs and retain more economic value on the continent.

One of the highlights announced yesterday was that the US$300 million Nigeria Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) Fund has reached its first close, securing its initial capital commitments and moving into operation. Co-managed by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and Africa50, the fund will provide equity financing to local clean-energy developers, supporting decentralized solutions including solar mini-grids, solar home systems, commercial and industrial power solutions, and energy storage. Aligned with Mission 300, which aims to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030, the fund is designed to mobilize private investment and expand reliable energy access for Nigerian homes and businesses.

Energy was another major focus. Anna Bjerde, Managing Director of Operations at the World Bank Group, and Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All, joined discussions on how innovative finance could unlock investment in Africa’s power infrastructure and accelerate access to reliable energy.

Healthcare also featured within the wider economic conversation. Roche reaffirmed its commitment to advancing breast cancer care through its Africa Breast Cancer Ambition (ABCA), which aims to help 80% of women diagnosed with breast cancer in Africa survive for at least five years by 2030.

Unstoppable Africa 2026 continues today, September 21st, with further sessions focused on digital transformation, investment, creative industries, sport, and Africa’s role in the global economy.

Everyone is invited to watch the event live on Unstoppable Africa YouTube channel at https://apo-opa.co/4xoGXlz

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, September 21, 2026/APO Group/ –South Africa’s water landscape is entering a critical period. Ageing infrastructure, increasing supply disruptions and pressure on municipal water systems are forcing businesses to reassess how water is managed as part of operational continuity and long-term investment planning.

 




 
 

The challenge is particularly visible in Johannesburg, where more than a third of the city’s water supply – approximately 655 million litres a day – is reportedly being lost through ageing and damaged infrastructure.

At the same time, government has launched the National Water Action Plan, which prioritises infrastructure investment, regulatory reform, improved municipal water services and greater private-sector participation. Government has also allocated R156 billion to water and sanitation infrastructure over the next three years.

[Quote from Webber wentzel – WSA Sponsor]

These issues will form part of the discussion at Water Security Africa Johannesburg, taking place 28–29 October 2026 at The Maslow Hotel, Sandton, Johannesburg.

Water security is becoming a business strategy

Water security is no longer only an operational or sustainability concern. Reliable supply increasingly affects business continuity, investment decisions, ESG performance and long-term competitiveness.

The Executive Leadership Forum: “Water Security is Now a Boardroom Issue” will examine how organisations are integrating water resilience into enterprise risk and business strategy.

Discussions will explore protecting operations against supply interruptions, strengthening collaboration between business, municipalities and government, and investing in solutions that can build long-term resilience.

Building water resilience into South Africa’s cities

As infrastructure comes under increasing pressure, businesses and developers are also reconsidering how buildings, precincts and critical facilities are designed.

The session “Designing Water-Resilient Cities” will explore how decentralised water systems, onsite treatment, storage, alternative water sources and smarter infrastructure can help commercial property, healthcare facilities, logistics hubs and data centres become more resilient to disruption.

The discussion will also examine how Green Building standards, ESG requirements, digital technologies and climate-resilient planning are influencing future development.

Using digital technology to improve water performance

South Africa’s water challenge is not only about developing new infrastructure. Improving the performance of existing assets is equally important.

The Digital Water Forum: “Smart Water Systems” will examine how AI, digital twins, predictive analytics, digital asset management and real-time data can help organisations reduce losses, improve maintenance and optimise infrastructure performance.

The focus will be on practical applications and case studies demonstrating measurable improvements in efficiency, resilience and business performance.

From water risk to water resilience

The wider programme will also address water reform, infrastructure financing, industrial water independence, reuse and recycling, alternative supply and public-private partnerships, providing organisations with a practical view of how South Africa can move from identifying water risks to implementing solutions.

As government increases its focus on reform and infrastructure investment, the role of business, investors, municipalities and technology providers in strengthening South Africa’s water resilience is becoming increasingly important.

Water Security Africa Johannesburg 2026 will bring these stakeholders together to examine how organisations can secure supply, improve efficiency and build resilience in an increasingly water-constrained environment.

28–29 October 2026 | The Maslow Hotel, Sandton, Johannesburg

South Africa’s next water challenge is not simply securing more water – it is building systems, businesses and cities that can withstand disruption.

Find out more:
Water Security Africa Johannesburg – www.WaterSecurity-Africa.com