CAPE TOWN - President Paul Kagame is one of the African leaders in Cape Town, South Africa attending the 19th World Economic Forum on Africa that began today.

The President is expected to participate in key forum sessions including a high level discussion on agriculture and the economy and a televised panel on leadership.

The event, scheduled for June 10-12, under the theme "Implications of the Global Economic Crisis for Africa” will bring together other African leaders including the host, South Africa’s new President Jacob Zuma, Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Pakalitha Mosislili, Prime Minister of Lesotho and President Rupiah Banda of Zambia.

Other likely high-level participants include South Africa’s Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, the African Development Bank (AfDB) President Donald Kaberuka and UK’s Lord Malloch-Brown.

At the onset of the high-level meeting, on Wednesday, the latest Africa Competitiveness Report 2009 will be released and, is expected to provide valuable insight for the deliberations.

According to the World Economic Forum website, this is the second report on the region’s business environment to leverage knowledge and expertise within the African Development Bank, the World Bank and the World Economic Forum.

During the World Economic Forum on Africa, President Kagame and other world leaders will look into the global and regional implications of the current global economic crisis and, develop a new roadmap for the continent’s future.

Discussions, it is noted, will focus on the impact of the crisis on Africa’s traditional drivers of growth including foreign capital flows, demand for oil and commodities, and infrastructure development.

A key focus will be on Africa’s investment climate and identifying practical solutions to foster better business practices and greater investment across the continent.

More than 800 participants – Chief Executive Officers and board-level executives of World Economic Forum member companies and special guests – from 50 countries are expected to participate.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan is one of the co-chairs of this year’s event.

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