Dangote, other prominent African leaders conclude retreat in Kigali

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, joined a high-profile group of Africa’s leading business and government figures for the second edition of the African Renaissance Retreat, which concluded on Sunday, November 16, in Kigali. Held behind closed doors from November 14 to 16, the retreat convened current and former heads of state, including President Paul Kagame, former South African President Thabo Mbeki, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. The gathering also reportedly attracted major private-sector leaders such as Tony Elumelu, Patrice Motsepe, Tidjane Thiam, Vera Songwe, Abdul Samad Rabiu, Mohammed Dewji, Naguib Sawiris, Femi Otedola, and James Mwangi, among others. Also in attendance were UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, OIF Secretary-General Louise Mushikiwabo, and International Finance Corporation (IFC) Managing Director Makhtar Diop. According to the meeting agenda seen by The New Times, the retreat took place at the luxury hotel The Pinnacle Kigali and was opened by Aliko Dangote, who founded the African Renaissance Retreat as a platform for the continent’s most influential leaders to deliberate on Africa’s most pressing challenges and contribute to meaningful, long-term transformation. The first day, held under the theme “Building Shared Expectations,” featured a series of side events, including a fireside chat with former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia. The second day, themed “Translating Ideas into Action,” included several breakout sessions. Jean-Guy Afrika, CEO of the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), delivered a presentation on Rwanda’s economic transformation journey, followed by a fireside chat with former Ethiopian PM, Hailemariam Desalegn, and former South African President, Thabo Mbeki. The final day, held under the theme “Enabling Accelerated Impact,” featured a fireside conversation between President Paul Kagame and Aliko Dangote, after which Dangote delivered the closing remarks. Last year at the inaugural African Renaissance Retreat, Dangote set the stage, saying the idea to bring together the most influential leaders was to address Africa's challenges and harness its potential for economic innovation and sustainable development. He said then that he had long contemplated bringing together a group of dedicated African business leaders to address the continent's challenges, identify concrete solutions, and showcase Africa as a viable investment destination despite its obstacles. Dangote noted that the objective of the retreat was to offer an opportunity for collective action in tackling various issues, including persistent conflicts, energy and food security, supply chain disruptions, the debt crisis, and access to long-term concessional funding for development. “This small private and high-level gathering to discuss these issues and align on how we will own and shape our narrative for development is long overdue,” he told the gathering at the time.

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Dangote, other prominent African leaders conclude retreat in Kigali