US-Africa Business Summit in Marrakech Seeks to Create Sustainable Partnerships

Marrakech will host the US-Africa Business Summit 2022 next week. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Marrakech will host the US-Africa Business Summit 2022 next week. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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US-Africa Business Summit in Marrakech Seeks to Create Sustainable Partnerships

Marrakech will host the US-Africa Business Summit 2022 next week. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Marrakech will host the US-Africa Business Summit 2022 next week. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Morocco’s Marrakech city is scheduled to host the US-Africa Business Summit 2022 between July 19 and 22.

The event, which will be held under the patronage of King Mohammed VI, will bring together more than one thousand participants, including entrepreneurs and prime ministers.

It aims to create resilient and sustainable partnerships among key decision makers in the public and private sectors in the United States and Africa.

It is expected to provide an opportunity for various organizations to explore new horizons to enhance the economic partnership, while underlining the next phase of the partnership, which mainly concerns US-African regional trade, energy, digital transformation, and trade finance.

The summit, themed “Building Forward Together” will explore a renewed commitment by both public and private sector stakeholders to building stronger US-Africa trade, investment, and commercial ties as they emerge from unprecedented health and economic challenges.

Its highlights will include plenary sessions and sector-focused panels as an exceptional line up of more than 100 business and government leaders will discuss industry-tested solutions to today's business challenges in agribusiness, finance, energy, health, infrastructure, ICT, security, and more.

Session topics will include “Building a Just Transition to Net Zero in Africa,” “Innovation for Agriculture Transformation,” and “SMEs: Fueling the Recovery and Economic Growth,” to name few.

It will also include an opening session, public meetings and dialogues.



Pakistan Set to Receive $20 Billion Loan From World Bank

FILE PHOTO-People wait for their turn to buy low-priced bun-kabab from a shop in Karachi, Pakistan June 10, 2022. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro
FILE PHOTO-People wait for their turn to buy low-priced bun-kabab from a shop in Karachi, Pakistan June 10, 2022. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro
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Pakistan Set to Receive $20 Billion Loan From World Bank

FILE PHOTO-People wait for their turn to buy low-priced bun-kabab from a shop in Karachi, Pakistan June 10, 2022. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro
FILE PHOTO-People wait for their turn to buy low-priced bun-kabab from a shop in Karachi, Pakistan June 10, 2022. REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro

Pakistan is set to receive a loan of $20 billion from the World Bank over the next 10 years, aimed at improving the country’s key sectors, sources told Geo News on Saturday.

According to sources in the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the loan will be part of the World Bank's support under the Country Partnership Framework 2025-35, which focuses on sustainable economic development.

The loan is expected to be approved by the WB's Board of Directors on January 14. Once approved, Martin Raiser, the lender's Vice President, is expected to visit Islamabad to discuss the loan program and its implementation.

In addition to the $20 billion, two subsidiary entities of the World Bank will assist Pakistan in securing another $20 billion in private loans.

This would bring the total financial package to $40 billion, which will be allocated towards infrastructure development, climate resilience projects, and improving social services.

Meanwhile, The News newspaper reported that the government, in its bid to achieve an economic revival, has launched the National Economic Transformation Plan which aims to achieve ambitious economic targets, including doubling GDP growth and halving poverty over a five-year period.

The plan envisages attracting $29 billion anticipated investment under the supervision of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) including $10 billion from the UAE, $5 billion from Saudi Arabia, $2 billion from Qatar, $2 billion from Azerbaijan, and $10 billion from Kuwait.

Meanwhile, the gross domestic product (GDP) target has been set at 6% of the GDP till the Fiscal Year 2028-29 whereas the per capita income in dollar terms is projected to go up to $2,405 from $1,680.