Convened by the UN Global Compact, Chief Executive Officers from across Africa this week launched the Africa Business Leaders Coalition (ABLC).听
The coalition will provide a platform for African business leaders to have a unified private sector voice as they actively and meaningfully engage to work on the continent鈥檚 most pressing issues through an organized, forward-looking, principles-based approach.
The Africa Business Leaders Coalition is a CEO-led initiative emanating from the听, and is committed to advancing sustainable growth, prosperity and development in Africa by bringing measurable impact to its most pressing issues. It will work closely with the UN Global Compact Hub in Abuja and 10 Global Compact Local Networks operating across Africa.
Ahead of COP27 to be held in Egypt in November 2022, the ABLC will focus its efforts on sustainable development and ambitious climate action by bringing the perspectives of dozens of leading African CEOs and Board Chairs into the global conversation.
This will culminate in an ABLC Climate Statement in support of COP27, anchored in the goals of the Paris Agreement, the Sustainable Development Goals and the UN Global Compact Ten Principles. ABLC members will be invited to sign on and announce credible commitments and actions through this Climate Statement.
Welcoming the founding members of the Africa Business Leaders Coalition, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed urged them to use their influence to drive change across the continent.听
鈥淭his is听 an opportunity to establish a holistic dialogue to reconcile the development needs of the continent with the need for ambitious climate action, jumpstart the renewable energy transition, and build resilience across the continent,鈥� said Ms. Mohammed.
Launching the ABLC, Assistant Secretary-General and CEO of the UN Global Compact Sanda Ojiambo said: 鈥淐limate change presents a $3 trillion investment opportunity in Africa by 2030. But this potential will not be realized unless the private sector is involved. This Coalition has a critical role to play in ensuring the voice of Africa鈥檚 private sector is heard on the global stage to ensure the continent鈥檚 growth is not only sustainable but also green.鈥�
The 11 founding members of ABLC include Herbert Wigwe, the CEO of Access Bank in Nigeria; Brahim Benjelloun Touimi, the director and Delegate General Manager at the Bank of Africa, Morocco; Hichem Elloumi - chairman and CEO of COFICAB; Strive Masiyiwa, the founder and executive chairman of Econet Wireless, Zimbabwe; James Mwangi, the CEO and managing director of Equity Group, Kenya; Karim Bernoussi, the CEO of Intelcia Group, Morocco; Phuthi鈥婱ahanyele-Dabengwa, the CEO of Naspers, South Africa; Yasmine Mohamed Farid Khamis, the CEO and chairperson of Oriental Weavers Carpets Co., Egypt; Peter Ndegwa, the CEO of 听Safaricom, Kenya; Fleetwood Grobler, the President and CEO of Sasol, South Africa; and Amir Barsoum, the founder and CEO of Vezeeta, Egypt.听
Members of the ABLC commit to upholding the听听and becoming a UN Global Compact participant within six months of joining.听
During the launch, the founding members shared their commitment to sustainability across the continent, focusing on potential company commitments, the sustainability efforts they are making across their communities, a move towards more innovative and robust methods of climate finance, and a call to action for the global community.
The virtual launch event was also attended by leaders from the United Nations, including Abdulla Shahid, President of the United Nations General Assembly; Collen Vixen Kelapile, President, United Nations Economic and Social Council; Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General, United Nations; Cristina Duarte, Under Secretary-General and Special Adviser on Africa to the UN Secretary-General and Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General and CEO of the UN Global Compact.
They joined together to launch the ABLC with Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, UN Climate Change High-level Climate Champion for Egypt.听
Boston Consulting Group is providing strategy and implementation support to the UN Global Compact for the Africa Business Leaders Coalition.听
The inaugural听 meeting was chaired by Sanda Ojiambo with support from Patrick Dupoux, Managing Director, Senior Partner, and Head of Africa, BCG.听
Today鈥檚听 launch will be followed by six regional roundtable meetings in Abidjan, Cairo, Casablanca, Johannesburg, Lagos and Nairobi in June and July to discuss, shape and mobilize principled and sustainable business in Africa.
About the UN Global Compact
As a special initiative of the UN Secretary-General, the United Nations Global Compact is a call to companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with Ten Principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Our ambition is to accelerate and scale the global collective impact of business by upholding the Ten Principles and delivering the Sustainable Development Goals through accountable companies and ecosystems that enable change. With more than 15,000 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, and 69 Local Networks, the UN Global Compact is the world鈥檚 largest corporate sustainability initiative 鈥� one Global Compact uniting business for a better world.
