LONDON, England – With under two months away from the much talked about African Caribbean Sustainability & Investment Summit (ACSIS) to be held in London, November 21-23, 2024, ACSIS continues to gather momentum.
Organised by HenleyCaribbean Sustainable Ventures, ACSIS aims to bring together key diaspora stakeholders from the African and Caribbean business communities of the United Kingdom to discuss and strategize sustainable investments across various sectors under the theme: Leveraging the African, Caribbean and UK Business Opportunities: Investing in a Sustainable Future.
UK-based entrepreneurs with heritage links to Africa and the Caribbean, including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Jamaica and others will participate in panel and roundtable discussions and workshops to discuss business best practice on four sectors, agriculture & agri-business; climate change and renewable energy; ICT, digital economy and cybersecurity; and tourism.
Presentations will be delivered over three days at three separate venues. Day I will focus on high-level roundtable meetings ‘Business Meets Diplomacy,’ involving African and Caribbean High Commissioners / Ambassadors and diplomatic staff, at the UK House of Lords. Rwanda High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, H.E. Johnston Busingye is expected to participate by delivering an address to the delegates, while renowned scientist and creator of One Planet Living (OPL) Pooran Desai, the inspiration behind the UN SDG’s will speak on the implications of climate change on Africa and the Caribbean. Day II will focus on cybersecurity, tourism and investment at Lloyds of London; and Day III will address matters pertaining to agriculture, B2B meetings and diaspora engagement supported by Dr Coreen Jacobs-Chester, lecturer at the University of Guyana. The event concludes with the ACSIS Sustainability Awards 2024.
Chairman of ACSIS, David F. Roberts, expressed how delighted he is at the level of interest coming from the eight participating countries and the importance of the delivery of an impactful, solutions focused event. We are pleased this event is supported by the African Union Commission (AU), Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Commission (OECS) and Caribbean Export Development Agency (CARIB-EXPORT).
Roberts is also delighted at the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ASIA/AFRICA Chamber of Commerce & Industry (AACCI) a highly respected global organisation focused on engagement of more than 100 Countries, Corporates, Associations and Individual Professionals from all over the Asian– African region. Director – Global Alliances, Yuvaan Atreya regards the partnership as ‘An incredible opportunity to forge links with African and Caribbean diaspora entrepreneurs in the UK and this union sets the stage for untold possibilities in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean.’
ACSIS was conceived following the successful Guyana Diaspora Sustainability and Investment Conference (GDSIC), November 18th and 19th 2023 where one significant outcome was a verbal commitment by the then London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) director of sustainable finance and investment, Ibukun Adebayo, to share ideas about how the exchange could help Guyana improve its international credit rating. That event also witnessed presentations from senior Guyana government officials, Dr Peter Ramsaroop, chief investment officer and Rosalinda Rasul, head, diaspora affairs unit.
Feedback from GDSIC delegates inspired the genesis of ACSIS to broaden the concept scope to include Africa thereby bridging the socio-economic and cultural gap that stunts optimal trade and investment between Africa and the Caribbean at diaspora level.
