The Africa Prosperity Network (APN) marked a significant milestone today with the inauguration of its high-profile Advisory Council, comprising esteemed global African icons, industry leaders, and eminent statesmen and stateswomen.

Chaired by the Executive Chairman of APN, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, the Advisory Council's primary mission is to steer the APN towards its goal of fostering economic integration and prosperity in Africa. The council's eight distinguished, inaugural members, including five accomplished women, bring a wealth of diverse experience and a shared passion for Africa's growth and development.

In his address at the inauguration, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko expressed his gratitude to the Advisory Council members and emphasised the vital role they will play in guiding and promoting the impactful contributions of APN to Africa's accelerated progress and prosperity.

The APN, in partnership with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat, and in collaboration with key partners such as UNDP Africa, the Africa Business Council, Africa Development Bank (AfDB), Afreximbank, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Africa America Institute (AAI), and African Union’s African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), is set to host the annual Africa Prosperity Dialogues from January 25 to January 27, 2024, at Ghana's prestigious Peduase Lodge.

The event will spotlight crucial discussions on economic transformation in Africa, emphasising intra-African commerce, youth employment, and overall prosperity for the continent's 1.4 billion people.

Njack Kane, acting Chief Executive Officer of APN, said the event's focus areas include Agriculture and food Sovereignty, Natural Resources and Value Addition, Manufacturing, and Intra-African Trade Enablers. The Dialogues aim to showcase success stories from across the continent that promote the transformation of agricultural and raw material resources across the continent.

Dr Amany Asfour, a member of the Advisory Council, welcomed the strategic support from the AU's Africa Business Council, aiming to drive industrialisation in Africa. Dr Amina Mohamed emphasised the importance of the "prosperity" mindset in unlocking Africa's vast potential, while Mrs Patricia Poku-Diaby highlighted the significance of APN in fostering closer collaboration among African business leaders.

Mr Joshua Siaw, renowned international transactional lawyer, asserted his commitment to attracting greater investments to Africa, leveraging the continent's position as the largest single market globally under the auspices of the AfCFTA.

APN Advisory Council

Eight (8) members of the advisory board attended the maiden meeting via video link. The members are:

Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini Zuma is a distinguished African and global figure who has served on the cabinet of every post-apartheid South African president and has held several ministerial positions including Minister of Health, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Home Affairs, among others.

Ambassador Dr. Amina Mohamed is a distinguished diplomat and public servant with a career spanning a decade of remarkable accomplishments. From 2000 to 2006, Amina Mohamed served as Ambassador and Permanent Representative for the Kenyan diplomatic mission in Geneva, and in April 2013, she was appointed Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs.

Eugene Owusu, Special Advisor to the President of the Republic of Ghana on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is a distinguished International Policy and Development Management expert, who has committed over 25 years to advancing strategic leadership, advocating for positive change, and addressing complex political, development, and humanitarian challenges.

Dr Eugene was the coordinator of the successful 2023 Africa Prosperity Dialogues, the compact form which was adopted by the 36th Summit of the Heads of State and Governments of the African Union, in Addis Ababa last February.

Amany Asfour, President, Africa Business Council. She is also the founder and President of the Egyptian Businesswomen Association, an organisation that supports SMEs and contributes to the advancement of women in the global market.

Patricia Poku Diaby, is an industrialist and CEO of Plot Enterprise, a multinational commodities company, with a strong presence in Cote D’Ivoire and Ghana.

Cesar Augusto Mba Abogo, until 2020, was the finance minister for Equatorial Guinea, and currently country manager of the Africa Development Bank (AfDB) Group for Mozambique. He is an economist with over 15 years of experience in natural resource economics, development economics, public policy, and international negotiations.

Christal Jackson, Chairwoman, Africa-America Institute (AAI). Ms Jackson is a multifaceted professional who has forged a dynamic career in the fields of social impact, entrepreneurship, and philanthropy, with a steadfast commitment to advancing education, health, and economic opportunities for communities of colour. She is the founder of Mosaic Genius, which focuses on building a sustainable ecosystem for wealth in communities of colour worldwide.

Mr Joshua Siaw, MBE, Partner, Global law firm White & Case LLP, and Director of the firm’s Africa practice. Mr Siaw advises corporations, governments and financial institutions on cross-border project development and funding projects in Africa.

In January, he was appointed co-chair of the UK government’s Africa Investors Group (AIG). Mr Siaw Co-Chairs the AIG, alongside His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Africa, John Humphrey. He is also on the Advisory Council of King Charles III’s Green Canopy Initiative, first set up by the late Queen Elizabeth II.

With plans to expand its Advisory Council to 15 members, APN remains steadfast in its commitment to championing Africa's prosperity agenda through its flagship event, the Africa Prosperity Dialogues (APD). The network envisions a future where Africa leads its own economic destiny, solving its challenges with indigenous solutions and driving sustainable growth and prosperity.