The wheels are set motion as ANAPRI, the Africa Network of Agricultural Policy Research Institutes, gears up to co-host the highly anticipated Africa Think Tank Summit in Lusaka, Zambia. This prestigious event, organized under the auspices of the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF), a specialized agency of the African Union (AU), promises to be a momentous occasion for Africa’s development landscape.
ANAPRI has been actively engaging in a series of high-level stakeholder meetings to ensure the summit’s resounding success. On Tuesday, 25th July, a series of meetings were convened in Lusaka, Zambia, with the primary objective of ensuring the resounding success of the upcoming Hosting of the Africa Think Tank Summit.
One such critical meeting was with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). Present at the meeting were Mr. Mamadou Biteye, the Executive Secretary of the ACBF, Dr. Mzwanele Mfunwa from UNECA, Dr Antony Chapoto, ANAPRI’s Technical Chair, Kafuki Hepplethwaite, ANAPRI’s Acting Program Coordinator, Maria Kasolo, ANAPRI’s Administrative and Operations Specialist, and several other important dignitaries. ANAPRI’s partnership with UNECA holds great promise for the Africa Think Tank Summit. Both parties have expressed a mutual commitment to addressing key challenges and leveraging Africa’s potential through sustainable agricultural development.
In the same vein, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Secretariat, a key regional economic bloc, has also thrown its weight behind the Africa Think Tank Summit. Dr. Dev Haman, the Assistant Secretary General of COMESA, warmly welcomed the esteemed ACBF and ANAPRI teams. It was agreed that the Summit can be used to further discuss productive integration, connectivity, gender and social integration.
Building upon the momentum of fruitful engagements, ACBF and ANAPRI team had the privilege of meeting with Mrs. Lillian Saili Bwalya, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce, Trade, and Industry. At this meeting, Mrs. Bwalya wholeheartedly expressed the support of MCTI to work with ACBF and ANAPRI on the forthcoming Summit and that Zambia affords the necessary climate for a summit of this magnitude. Similarly, the ACBF and ANAPRI team met with the President of the Zambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ZACCI), Dr. Chabuka Kawesha. The President of ZACCI is excited about the upcoming think tank event and has given it his full support.
The Africa Think Tank Summit, set to take place in Lusaka, Zambia from November 8-10, 2023, serves as both a platform for knowledge mobilization and a testament to the transformative power of collaboration in shaping Africa’s future. Together, ANAPRI, the African Capacity Building Foundation, and a multitude of stakeholders are setting the stage for a brighter and more prosperous Africa, where evidence-driven policies and agricultural innovations pave the way to sustainable development and shared prosperity for all.
