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STORY: UN / AFRICA BUSINESS INITIATIVE
TRT: 02:35
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 11 SEPTEMBER 2025, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE - NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, UN Headquarters
11 SEPTEMBER 2025, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, speakers, journalists, press room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations Global Compact:
“Africa must not only adapt. It has to lead. And that's why the Global Africa Business Initiative exists. Launched in 2022 with a clear goal, as I said, to change how the world views Africa and does business with Africa.”
3. Wide shot, speakers, journalists
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations Global Compact:
“The biggest themes that we're going to tackle this year, the overall theme is the big push, how Africa shapes markets. We're going to tackle a few critical topics: building African led global trade, investment and business partnerships; maximizing the Africa free trade, continental agreement for trade and value chains; strengthening digital technology and innovation; positioning Africa as a global investment hub; and supporting the sports and the creative sectors.”
5. Wide shot, speakers, journalists
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations Global Compact:
“Every day in your report, you tell the story of Africa's challenges. There's also a story of Africa's progress that you tell: we want to elevate that and amplify that. It's a story of innovation, resilience and ambition.”
7. Wide shot, speakers, journalists
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations Global Compact:
“What we want to, you know, highlight with unstoppable Africa is the fact that the private sector continues to remain robust. Even where there is conflict and strife, business will still continue. And I think you know, one of the strongest messages that we hear from African political leaders is oftentimes the private sector exists and continues to help - almost derisk - provide an environment of safety, calling for investment, and also just demonstrating that people will still need the goods and the services that are provided.”
9. Wide shot, speakers, journalists
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations Global Compact:
“What does private sector on the flip side ask of government? they're asking for peace and stability. They're ready to invest in it.”
11. Med shot, journalist
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations Global Compact:
“There are significant challenges, political strife, illicit financial flows, challenges around governance. But there's a strong and robust private sector, and that's what all of those leaders are here to talk about: The need to really build that infrastructure for private sector to grow. The criticality really is the opportunity that we have to recognize Africa's availability to solve for world problems in food security, in energy security and in digital transformation.”
13. Wide shot, speakers, journalists
UN Global Compact chief said, “Africa must not only adapt. It has to lead.”
Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations Global Compact, briefed the press today (11 Sep) on the flagship event of the Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI) taking place on Sunday and Monday 21-22 September 2025 at the Marriot Marquis in Times Square, New York.
She said, “Africa must not only adapt. It has to lead. And that's why the global Africa business initiative exists. Launched in 2022 with a clear goal, as I said, to change how the world views Africa and does business with Africa.”
She continued, “The biggest themes that we're going to tackle this year, the overall theme is the big push, how Africa shapes markets. We're going to tackle a few critical topics: building African led global trade, investment and business partnerships; maximizing the Africa free trade, continental agreement for trade and value chains; strengthening digital technology and innovation; positioning Africa as a global investment hub; and supporting the sports and the creative sectors.”
Addressing the press, she said, “Every day in your report, you tell the story of Africa's challenges. There's also a story of Africa's progress that you tell: we want to elevate that and amplify that. It's a story of innovation, resilience and ambition.”
She highlighted, “What we want to, you know, highlight with unstoppable Africa is the fact that the private sector continues to remain robust. Even where there is conflict and strife, business will still continue. And I think you know, one of the strongest messages that we hear from African political leaders is oftentimes the private sector exists and continues to help - almost derisk - provide an environment of safety, calling for investment, and also just demonstrating that people will still need the goods and the services that are provided.”
She continued, “What does private sector on the flip side ask of government? they're asking for peace and stability. They're ready to invest in it.”
Answering a question, she said, “There are significant challenges, political strife, illicit financial flows, challenges around governance. But there's a strong and robust private sector, and that's what all of those leaders are here to talk about: The need to really build that infrastructure for private sector to grow. The criticality really is the opportunity that we have to recognize Africa's availability to solve for world problems in food security, in energy security and in digital transformation.”
The SG and the African Union Commission Chairperson will open the ‘Unstoppable Africa’ event.
Since its inception in 2022 GABI has convened global private sector leaders, CEOs, investors, industry leaders, philanthropy, academics, UN leaders, and heads of government at its various convenings.
The annual flagship event, Unstoppable Africa, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, has witnessed the active participation of 10 Heads of State and over 8,000 participants.
In 2024 alone, the event brought together more than 4,000 participants, including 1,545 in-person and 2,531 virtual attendees, 6 Heads of State as well as 14 Government Ministers from 13 countries, over 600 CEOs and business leaders, and 119 speakers from all over the world.
On 21-22 September 2025, GABI will convene the 4th edition of Unstoppable Africa, on the sidelines of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Mid-Town Manhattan, New York.
Once again, the event will bring together the private sector, governments, policymakers, global and regional stakeholders to develop actionable frameworks for Africa’s transformation, promoting trade and investment opportunities in Africa and the world.
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