The Royal African Society Breakfast Lecture : |binvesting in Africa’s wealth to fuel structural transformation Talking points Dr.Carlos Lopes Executive Secretary Economic Commission for Africa

Abstract

The dynamism of African economies has captured the imagination of the world. Having been written off as “the hopeless continent” for decades, Africa is now being courted by powerful economic actors with a keen interest in its natural resources and untapped market with a growing middle class, and burgeoning cities. The new narrative of “a rising Africa” has been the result of years of improved macro-economic management, increasing domestic demand, improving regional business climate, and lower cost of doing business, increasing public investment, especially in infrastructure, a buoyant service sector, and increasing trade and investment ties with emerging economies.