Africa to kick off business forum in London

Africa is to kick off a high-profile business forum in London Tuesday in efforts to woo investment to the poor continent.

The biennial forum, which brought together over 330 African and international companies from 36 countries two years ago, will help investors to understand the African market and serve as a platform for possible partnership, Zambia's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom Anderson Chibwa said in London.

The Zambian envoy was quoted by ZANIS as saying that the high profile forum under the theme "Partnerships for Jobs, Growth and Sustainable Development'' plays a key role for leading African entrepreneurs to establish contact with their counterparts from UK and other countries.

The meeting will further seek an update on business actions for Africa and set out a framework for business partnerships, Chibwa said.

The two-day forum, according to Chibwa, will also review the achievements made since G8 Summit about two years ago in critical areas and evaluate progress in creating growth and eliminating poverty in Africa on the basis of policy benchmarks set by the G8 and African governments.

Emerging priorities such as managing climate change, infrastructure development and health, will also be discussed, said Chibwa.

Outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Zambian President Mwanawasa, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, President Hifikepunye Pohamba of Namibia and Cameroonian Prime Minister Ephraim Inoni will attend the opening ceremony of the high level form.