Centre for Energy

1^ST EUROPE AFRICA YOUNG LEADERS FORUM ENDS IN SOUTH AFRICA

The first Europe-Africa young leaders forum was held at the Tag Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa from March 31^st – April 3^rd 2011. It was organised by the BMW Stiftung Herbert Quandt Foundation. Thirty young leaders from Africa and Europe attended the forum which was under the theme “New Ways Forward: Innovative Technologies, Financial Models and Partnerships for Social Cohesion.” Young leaders were taking through leadership training from experts in industry, government and the corporate world.

The Centre for Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development was the only Non Governmental Organisation from Ghana that invited to attend the forum. Young leaders had the privilege of listing to Chief Mongosuthu Bothelezi, president of the Inkatha Freedom Party of South Africa, Hipp Markus, the Executive Director of BMW Stiftung Herbert Quandt Foundation; as well as a presentation on behalf of Tony Elumelu, Chairman of Heirs Holdings Limited, Lagos. The group visited three social enterprises in South Africa who were making change in the lives of the people of South Africa. Social enterprises visited included TSiBA Education, Kuyasa Fund, Football for Development and mothers2mothers. The group also had the opportunity of making useful and insightful inputs into four social enterprises in South Africa. Overall, it was a very good forum as it created the platform for networking and knowledge transfer and intercultural exchange among participants. Through this, the world would certainly be a better place since there will be more harmony and understanding among these future leaders.

CEESD Assistant Director, who participated in the forum, intimated to the organizers to consider holding the next Europe Africa summit in Ghana.