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Singapore – [November 4-5, 2024]

In strategic partnership with the Alliance For Good, the Pan-African Council was honored to host nearly 20 delegates from diverse parts of Africa to the 2024 Business and Philanthropy Forum in Singapore this November.

Our feature panel entitled “Open for Business: Empowering Impact & the African Investment Story” provided actionable steps on how Asian family offices, impact investors, and philanthropists can effectively partner with the African continent and Africa-based initiatives that drive deeper cooperation and foster meaningful connections that bridge Africa and Asia.

A special thanks to the Ministerial Delegation from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in particular Her Excellency Ms. Nathalie-Aziza Munana, National Minister of Social Affairs, Humanitarian Action, and National Solidarity for gifting us with her keynote address, as well as the esteemed colleagues who joined us on stage: Yohans Wodaje Emiru – Chief Executive Officer at Delta Instrument Technology and Managing Partner of REY Medical (Ethiopia), Bella Ikeme – Founder, Certified Sustainability and Marketing Consultant (Nigeria), Jean-Marie Kananura – Chief Investment Officer at the Kigali International Financial Centre (Rwanda), and Maruza Chikwanha – Founder and Managing Director of Ivhu (Zimbabwe, Kenya).

If there’s one thing that could be concluded from this high-level engagement, it’s that Africa today arguably provides the best opportunity for return on investment — not just financially, but even more importantly in terms of long-term impact, sustainability, and wider social responsibility for our planet.

Across the areas of logistics, manufacturing, housing, artificial intelligence, STEM, youth development, and climate action, we look forward to announcing some of these fruitful partnerships in the near future.

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CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, USA  —

The Pan-African Council (PAC) recently participated in Johnson C. Smith University‘s Lyceum Engagement Series on February 22nd, 2024, highlighting its mission to collaborate with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in supporting Pan-African development.

“There’s a significant number of developments happening across Africa, and diverse nationalities are involved, however African-Americans are underrepresented,” stated Fabien Anthony, Chairman of the PAC, according to the QCity Metro interview. Joining Anthony at the Lyceum luncheon were Amadou Gallo Fall, President of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) and founder of the SEED Project (a youth leadership development program through basketball), and Her Royal Highness Princess Tirelo Molotlegi of South Africa’s Royal Bafokeng Nation.

The forum aimed to dispel misconceptions and inaccurate information about Africa, while showcasing its positive developments. “Our goal is to demonstrate the opportunities available to JCSU,” said Anthony. “We are keen to explore avenues for expanding global education, facilitating student exchange programs, and collaborating with Mr. Fall and the Princess’ initiatives.”

Princess Molotlegi addressed sustainable community development and educational development, while Mr. Fall discussed opportunities for student-athletes.

A Sports-Oriented Approach

Mr. Fall emphasized his mission of fostering a stronger connection between the BAL and Black Americans. Following the BAL’s launch in 2021, there has been some American participation, including celebrity entertainer J. Cole. This trend has steadily increased year after year. The BAL’s partnership with the NBA has accelerated the league’s growth in its short lifespan of three years. Recognizing basketball’s global appeal, Mr. Fall seeks to capitalize on this popularity by engaging HBCU players.

“We want to make the BAL an option for basketball players to continue their careers. A player from JCSU can look at us and see us as an option,” he stated.

A 2020 study by the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) revealed that only 1.2% of college basketball players are drafted by the NBA annually. This percentage shrinks further each year due to the increasing number of international players entering the draft.

Over 20% of college basketball players pursue professional careers internationally or in the NBA’s G-League, its developmental league. The rapidly growing BAL presents another promising avenue for college basketball players to pursue professional aspirations.

Mr. Fall expressed his hope that this message will resonate with potential players from JCSU and other HBCUs.

Looking Forward

As reported by QCity Metro, Mr. Anthony indicated that the PAC will continue exploring avenues to connect with HBCUs and the African American community, aligning with its existing initiatives such as trade forums and youth engagement programs.

In 2022, the Council supported the AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum, fostering collaboration between Africa and the Caribbean Islands through knowledge sharing on investments, trade, climate change, health, and more. Beyond event coordination, PAC offers youth mentorship and development programs, along with grants and programs that enhance youth access to education, development skills, mentorship, and sustainability initiatives.

“There’s been significant past discourse about organizations developing Pan-African engagement,” concluded Mr. Anthony. “The Council is here to demonstrably taking action.”

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CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, USA  —

The Pan-African Council and Johnson C. Smith University – JCSU join forces in Charlotte, North Carolina for the university’s Lyceum Engagement Series on February 22nd, 2024.

The engaging panel discussion will include Amadou Gallo Fall, President of the Basketball Africa League (BAL) and founder of the SEED Project who will speak on the significance of sports, youth, and basketball as a socioeconomic driver across Africa; Her Royal Highness Princess Tirelo Molotlegi of South Africa’s Royal Bafokeng Nation who will speak on sustainable community development and the empowerment of youth and girls; and our very own Chairman, Mr Fabien Anthony of the Pan-African Council who will discuss meaningful Africa-Diaspora engagement, impact investments, and fostering economic and social prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic.

The panel will be followed by a Q&A period where students, alumni, staff, and other participants will ask questions relating to the discussion and possibilities for expanding global education, partnerships, and collaboration. Most importantly, the event will aim to explore further partnership opportunities in the aforementioned areas to further support Historically Black Colleges and Universities’ (HBCUs’) engagement with the rapid developments happening across the Africa continent.

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SINGAPORE, SHANGRI-LA HOTEL  —

​For the first time ever, #Africa was represented at the 7th Business and Philanthropy Forum 2023 (2023年第七届商业与慈善论坛) in #Singapore – the two-day premier gathering and an immersive learning experience for Asia’s largest family offices and private wealth management offices, philanthropists, next-gens, tech founders, investors, academics, policy makers, and nonprofit leaders worldwide, in-person in Asia’s wealth hub Singapore, on November 9th and 10th, 2023, at Shangri-La Hotel.
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In the spirit of South-South cooperation between Asian and African countries and stakeholders, the Pan-African Council had the honour of curating a 20-person high-level African delegation to the event, representing all 6 regions of Africa and the Diaspora.

Workshop

The Council was honored to have Her Majesty Princess Tirelo Molotlegi from South Africa’s Royal Bafokeng Kingdom (Royal Bafokeng Holdings) keynote the forum, who spoke on royal family philanthropy and impact investment.

At the forefront of our commitment to catalyse sustainable development and economic advancement on the African continent, we also hosted the “Investing in Africa” workshop featuring distinguished leaders: 1) Dianne Dusaidi – Lead, Entrepreneurship & Innovation, Transitions of Mastercard Foundation Africa, 2) Osa Aihie – COO of Africa Equity Group, and 3) Fayçal Aliou – President of Rizq Ventures, who actively contribute as part of the Pan-African Council network and work to enrich our comprehension of the investment dynamics within Africa.

Anchored in this purpose, the workshop offered an interactive platform for insightful dialogues and presentations, enabling participants to gain invaluable perspectives from the forefront of African-based initiatives and potential pathways for deeper cooperation with Asia. The initial presentation plunged into untapped investment potential across diverse sectors, bolstered by real-world successes, and discussions on prevalent misconceptions and hurdles regarding the African continent. The ensuing discourse transitioned to sustainable investment strategies, showcasing models that align with enduring development objectives through impactful case studies, underscoring the pivotal roles of environmental and social considerations.

Business and Purpose

With a strong lineup of over 15 keynote speeches and panels, 25 breakout fireside chats and masterclasses, and networking experiences, the 2023 Business and Philanthropy Forum offers informative deep dive into cross-cutting thematic topics that represent the most pressing business and philanthropic challenges in the region. Delegates gained valuable insights into best practices in strategic philanthropy, family succession and legacy planning, family business as a force for good, family office governance, impact and sustainable investment, and together to raise the awareness in aligning wealth with a purpose.

We look forward to executing the impact projects discussed during the Forum and deepen meaningful cooperation between the African and Asian continents.

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