Luanda: Angolan President Joo Louren§o on Monday in Luanda, highlighted Africa's increased transformative decisions and concrete projects aimed at industrializing the continent for sustainable development. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 17th United States-Africa Business Summit, Louren§o recalled that Africa is no longer considered solely a continent with great potential for mineral wealth, water, forest resources, and unparalleled demographic growth.
According to Angola Press News Agency, the African Union chairperson assured attendees that Africans are working to electrify and industrialize their countries, adding value to raw materials and creating jobs to prevent the exodus of young people, who are their greatest asset. Louren§o emphasized that structural investments are multiplying from north to south and from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean, shaping a new African economic landscape. These investments include the Lobito Corridor, which will connect Angola to Tanzania by rail and transform intra-African and intra-continental trade, as well as the expansion of special economic zones on the continent.
The president noted that alongside ongoing initiatives to develop regional value chains in sectors such as critical minerals, agriculture, and energy, the digital transformation of the African continent is underway, including the daily emergence of start-ups and technological platforms. According to the Angolan head of state, this revolution is being driven by creative and resilient youth who find in digital technology a path to inclusion, entrepreneurship, and employability. "With over 70% of the African population being under 30 years old, it's not an exaggeration to say that the future of global innovation will bear an African imprint, which is already happening in some ways," said Louren§o.
Despite some localized pockets of armed conflict or political tension, President Joo Louren§o stressed that Africa is asserting itself as a partner for stability and long-term vision.
Organized by the Corporate Council on Africa in partnership with the Angolan government, this year's summit is being held under the theme 'Pathways to Prosperity.' More than 2,800 people are attending, including business leaders, entrepreneurs, and government officials from the United States and Africa. Over the course of four days, topics related to trade development, investment, and economic partnerships in sectors such as electricity, infrastructure, agribusiness, digital technologies, health, creative industries, and other areas affecting African countries will be addressed. The event program includes high-level plenary sessions, sectoral dialogues, private roundtables, networking sessions, and an exhibition of technological solutions.
The summit is being held in the year that Angola celebrates 50 years of independence, to be marked on November 11. Since 1997, at least sixteen editions of the US-Africa Business Summit have been organized, alternating between the United States (in cities such as Washington, Baltimore, Chicago, and most recently, Dallas) and countries on the African continent (such as South Africa, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Morocco, and Botswana).
