Delegate check-in, badge collection, networking Coffee

Master of Ceremony

• Dr Denis Foretia, Executive Chairman, Nkafu Policy Institute; Founder and Co-Chair, Denis and Lenora Foretia Foundation

High-level scene-setting address framing Africa’s economic transformation agenda in the current global context

• Dr Abebe Aemro Selassie, Director of the African Department, International Monetary Fund

Opens with a 10-minute evidence presentation framing Africa’s youth employment challenge and demographic context. Moderated panel covering: structural drivers of unemployment; high-potential sectors for large-scale job creation; digitalization and financing innovations.

• Dr Somik Lall, Director of Strategy, Development Economics Vice Presidency, The World Bank
• Hon. Dr. Musenero Monica Masanza, Minister of Science, Technology & Innovation, STI, Government of Uganda
• Anne-Cécile Coly, First Vice President, National Union of Autonomous Trade Union
• Linton Mchunu, Senior Advisor to the CEO, AUDA-NEPAD
• Josephine Appiah-Nyamekye Sanny, Director of Communications, Afrobarometer (Moderator)

Three thematic rounds: (1) Removing barriers to market integration; (2) Building regional value chains; (3) Digital transformation and innovative trade financing.

• Mavis Owusu-Gyamfi, President & CEO, African Center for Economic Transformation
• Dr Anit Mukherjee, Senior Fellow, Global Economics and Development, Observer Research Foundation America
• Hannah Wanjie Ryder, CEO, Development Reimagined
• Dr Gero Carletto, Senior Manager, The World Bank
• Ms. Pamla Gopaul, Head Africa Policy Bridge Tank, Economic Analysis and Foresight Unit, AUDA-NEPAD (Moderator)

Networking lunch. (Targeted interviews with select speakers/participants conducted in parallel during this period)

Opens with a 10–12 min keynote framing health financing as a macrofiscal and development challenge. Moderated panel covering: disease burden and financing gaps; fiscal space, debt and public/multilateral financing for health; private sector and innovative financing instruments; country reform leadership and lessons.

• H.E. Alamine Ousmane Mey, Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Development, Cameroon Government
• Elizabeth Lule, Executive Director of the Early Childhood Development Action Network; Board Chair of AFIDEP
• Dr Olusoji Adeyi, President, Resilient Health Systems
• Heather Ignatius, Chief of External Affairs, PATH
• Dr Naa Dodua Dodoo, Director, Human Capital Development and Theme Lead, Population Dynamics and Demographic Dividend, AFIDEP (Moderator)

Moderated panel covering scaling domestic and international capital for water infrastructure; innovative financing instruments and blended finance models; governance and institutional reforms to attract investment; country-level leadership and lessons.

• Dr Albert Zeufack, Country Director (Angola, Burundi, DRC, São Tomé & Príncipe),
  The World Bank
• Prof Alex Money, Founder and CEO, Watermarq
• Erik Harvey, Strategic Programme Development Director, WaterAid
• Cheikh Tidiane Dieye, Minister of Hydraulics and Sanitation, Government of Senegal
• Mahesh Kotecha, President, Structured Credit International Corp.
• Don Christensen, Executive Chairman, InvestBank Corp.
• Ann Thomas, Senior WASH Advisor, UNICEF
• Jaehyang So, Chair, Technical Committee, Global Water Partnership (Moderator)

Closing remarks from Dr. Denis and a forward look toward Africa @ World Bank/IMF Annual Meetings of October 14, 2026.