SWITZERLAND: African leaders court investment opportunities at World Economic Forum
Record ID:
455783
SWITZERLAND: African leaders court investment opportunities at World Economic Forum
- Title: SWITZERLAND: African leaders court investment opportunities at World Economic Forum
- Date: 31st January 2010
- Summary: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND (JANUARY 29, 2010) (REUTERS) SECURITY GUARD STANDING NEAR CHECKPOINT / BUS COMING THROUGH CHECKPOINT FLAGS OUTSIDE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM (WEF) CONGRESS CENTRE DAVOS, SWITZERLAND (JANUARY 28, 2010) (REUTERS) PARTICIPANTS WALKING TOWARDS CONGRESS CENTRE PARTICIPANTS WALKING INTO SECURITY ROOM PARTICIPANTS IN CONGRESS CENTRE FOR WEF LARGE SCREEN DISPLAYING PICTURES OF AFRICAN FARMERS DELEGATES TALKING DAVOS, SWITZERLAND (JANUARY 28, 2010) (REUTERS) SENEGALESE PRESIDENT ABDOULAYE WADE TALKING TO REPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (French) SENEGALESE PRESIDENT ABDOULAYE WADE, SAYING: "I'll give you an example, in La Guana, in order to achieve that, I needed equipment. Well, India provided me with 10,000 tractors. There's no Western country I could imagine approaching to get 10,000 tractors for a period of 20 years. That doesn't exist, no Western country and no international organisation. And they are two completely different systems and the Indian system, the Chinese system are more attractive for us." REPORTER LISTENING TO WADE DAVOS, SWITZERLAND (JANUARY 29, 2010) (REUTERS) DELEGATES TALKING PARTICIPANTS WALKING INTO FORUM DEBATE OVER DEVELOPMENT FOR AFRICA / WEF OFFICIAL WELCOMING PARTICIPANTS
- Embargoed: 15th February 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Switzerland
- Country: Switzerland
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVAC68VH6SD31TTHQDFQYIOE0AQR
- Story Text: Talks at the World Economic Forum continue as business and economic leaders discuss key issues concerning economic growth and development on the African continent.
African leaders sought stronger support from the rest of the world at the World Economic Forum to help development of the world's poorest inhabited continent.
The annual gathering at the luxurious Swiss ski resort of Davos is often an opportunity for the world's most powerful political and business leaders to discuss pressing global issues.
African figures have in the past used the Forum to press developed countries for more aid.
Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade, who recently invited quake-stricken Haitians to Africa, said his government had been able to turn the country from a major food importer to a producer that aims to begin exporting within a few years through a programme called "La Guana".
Wade said this transition was only possible with the help of emerging Asian powers China and India, who are setting a strong foothold in Africa by providing governments very favourable conditions and more flexible rates than western countries.
"I'll give you an example, in La Guana, in order to achieve that, I needed equipment. Well, India provided me with 10,000 tractors. There's no Western country I could imagine approaching to get 10,000 tractors for a period of 20 years. That doesn't exist, no Western country and no international organisation. And they are two completely different systems and the Indian system, the Chinese system are more attractive for us," Wade said.
The Forum held a session on "Meeting Millennium Development Goals" on Friday (January 29) that aimed to discuss how targets set to tackle poverty by the year 2015 were progressing in the wake of the economic crisis.
Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said he attended Davos to call on world leaders to invest and help his country, saying many were still reluctant to help Zimbabwe because of a perception that anti-Western President Robert Mugabe was still suppressing opposition.
"Well, you know Zimbabwe has been in an economy that has been in decline for the last 10 years, there is a certain perception that has been created on Zimbabwe, a negative perception, and I think because of the political negotiations that have led to the formation of the government, we believe that it's opportune for us to be at a platform in the forum that gives us an opportunity to explain the new circumstances, and that's the real objective of the meeting and why we're here," he said, adding "There has been a change of opinion from being very negative to a point of saying: 'I think there is progress, let's give that government a chance'. I think the country is on the right track, not yet achieved all the benchmarks, but I think that we are on the right track and that if is followed by all those global political agreements I think the country will be on a much more positive growth path."
Africa is constantly seeking new opportunities and many will hope the staging of the world's most popular sporting event in South Africa this year should introduce new investors to the continent.
"Yes, I think the excitement about South Africa here is absolutely something we need to take home, all of us as South Africans. Everyone wants to be in South Africa, there is not a single one I've met here who's not saying: 'I'm going to be there'. I think we marketed South Africa successfully," South African President Jacob Zuma said, referring to the first FIFA World Cup to be staged in Africa.
"We had an opportunity to convey the message of how ready South Africa is, and there's evidence to that, but also to say how beautiful South Africa is, how remarkable the country is which has gone through a lot of challenges and always has been able to rise to the occasion," he added.
The World Economic Forum began on Wednesday (January 27) and ends on Sunday (January 31). - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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