Global leaders, activists, and investors gathered Thursday to discuss the power of infrastructure and the critical role it plays in connecting people to opportunity. Through a series of TED-style talks, speakers shared compelling examples of how regional integration, investment and innovation in infrastructure have worked to deliver better outcomes for communities and countries.  Panelists reflected on the examples shared and discussed priorities for bridging the infrastructure gap, including greater accessibility, more and better data, innovative financing vehicles, and expanded partnerships.

The Investing in Africa Forum (IAF) was established in 2015 as a global platform for multilateral cooperation and promoting opportunities to increase investment in Africa. It is intended to be an annual multi-stakeholder gathering, bringing together representatives of the public and private sectors from China and Africa, international and continental institutions, development partners, and think tanks to deepen policy dialogue, share experiences, and discuss business opportunities to promote and support investment and sustainable development in Africa. It was first initiated by China Development Bank (CDB) with the full endorsement of the Chinese Government and won the strong support of the World Bank Group (WBG) and multiple African countries. September 26, 2017: Session III: ICT and Leapfrogging - Building on the Digital Revolution to Tackle African Challenges (9:00 - 10:40 am Dakar time / 5:00 - 6:40 am DC time) Session IV: Building Skills for the Present and the Future African Workforce - Rethinking Skill Acquisition and Education Service Delivery ( 11:00 am - 12:30 pm Dakar time / 7:00 - 8:30 am DC time) ...

A growing population and rising energy demand will mean that 650 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa may still not have access to electricity in 2030, even though the continent has vast, untapped energy resources.  Meanwhile, mining companies—which need a huge amount of power for their operations—are expected to spend up to $3.3 billion to source power by the end of the decade. Is there a way to turn this industry’s substantial need for power into an opportunity to help energy-starved people in the region?  As part of the Investing in African Mining Indaba, this World Bank live event will bring together leaders from international organizations, policy-makers, and the private sector to present and discuss a new report entitled “The Power of the Mine—A Transformative Opportunity for Sub-Saharan Africa,” which discusses the potential of power-mining integration as a win-win for everyone.

Join a discussion on channeling revenues from extractive industries—oil, gas and mining—to end poverty through diversified growth and development. If managed well, revenue from resources such as oil and gas in Tanzania and Mozambique, iron ore in Guinea, copper in Mongolia, gas and gold in Latin America, oil, gas, bauxite and gold in Central Asia, can contribute to sustainable development. When poorly handled they can present long-term challenges for governments, communities and the environment. How can governments capture and channel natural resource revenues into smart investments? How can they unlock this wealth to make it work for the poor? What can we learn from past experience?