Africa’s economic potential is significant. While this has been common knowledge for decades, it is only now that the continent seems to be ready to fulfil this potential: Vast natural resources, continuous economic growth, improving governance standards and dozens of unexploited potentially high profile tourism destinations are among the reasons why Africa should be a force to be reckoned with for the future.

While these developments seem indeed promising, the Western world continues to regard Africa as “the lost continent”, marginalised in the world economy, rife with civil war, poverty and famine. From the perspective of the West, Africa was and still is mainly viewed as a region of concern in need of massive amounts of development aid, rather than a potential partner for business, trading as equals. However,Asia and South America – in particular China Russia and India – have noticed Africa’s potential and have been doubling their investments and engagement strongly in the continent. Their investment of billions of dollars into all sectors of the African economy is an indication of their acknowledgement of the tremendous
investment opportunities in the continent. China’s rapidly growing need for resources is bound to further increase Africa’s standing in a globalised world economy.

Set against this background, Ikapa Media is proposing a BRICA (Brazil Russia India China Africa) Summit with focus on trade, tourism and investment to cement and strengthen the commercial relationships between Africa, South America and Asia. Particular attention will be placed on the energy sector, including supply management and alternative energies, as well as the effects of global warming, regional
integration, trade and intergovernmental relations.

This international summit is proposed to take place in February of 2011, with international high-profile speakers from the political, business and academic sectors elaborating on trade and investment opportunities in these regions, and would be fully supported by the Department of Trade and Industry.