SciDev.Net

Is Africa a new frontier for business simply because China and India have joined the US and Europe in mining natural resources from Africa? What is different? What is Africa doing about it?

The US, China, India, Europe, Japan and others are coming to Africa for resources. Africa is in a powerful position to strategically use this opportunity and join the global economy in competitive business. The continent is however floating in a quandary due to poor management and exploitation of its resources that fuel constant conflicts. How can we use these resources gainfully to tap opportunities that are calling out to us?

The 6th Africa Resource Bank meeting organised by the Nairobi based Inter Region Economic Network (IREN) is inviting Business and industry players, Government and Policy Makers, Media, Academia, Civil Society and Think Tanks for the 2008 Africa Resource Bank (ARB) Meeting in Kenya (November 9-12), under the theme 'Commercializing Africa's Resources to Promote Prosperity: How Africa can utilize its natural resources to raise the living standards of its people'.

The Africa Resource Bank is a network of organizations and individuals with the objective of promoting concepts that enhance economic freedom and wealth creation in Africa. It is an annual workshop hosted by IREN - winner of the 'Top to-go-to Think Tank' 2008 award. IREN promotes ideas and strategies geared towards causing prosperity in Africa.

Previous ARB meetings have discussed themes including: Building Africa through Trade; Property Rights in the African context; How Africa can conquer poverty through business; Turning African people into a resource and Positioning Africa in the 21st Century. This year's ARB meeting will put specific focus on: surface and subsurface wealth exploitation, policy environment for resource exploitation, water, value addition and the African human resource in Africa.