GROW AFRICA INVESTMENT FORUM

By African Union Commission (AUC)

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, May 7, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- INVITATION TO THE MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES

When: May 9, 2012

Where: African Union Commission, New Conference Center, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Who: Organized jointly by the African Union Commission, the World Economic Forum and the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency.

Why:

Grow Africa builds upon the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programmee (CAADP) Africa's strategy to boost agricultural productivity. It introduces transformative change in African agriculture based on national agricultural priorities and in support of CAADP. The AUC is keen to heighten this engagement towards concrete contribution to the advancement of the CAADP agenda.

Objectives: The two day forum is to showcase specific investment priorities in seven

countries participating in the Grow Africa Partnership. The event aims to catalyze new partnerships, investment commitments, and insights among participants who are committed to developing African agriculture to contribute to food security, environmental sustainability and economic opportunity on the continent. Seven country delegations will each engage with private sector leaders in order to:

• Raise awareness among domestic, regional and international investors about the attractiveness of Africa's agribusiness sector

• Create investor interest in the priority agribusiness value chains of participating countries

• Stimulate investment in at least three immediate investment opportunities in each country's selected value chains

Background: Grow Africa exists to accelerate investments into African agriculture, and ensure that these deliver on their promise of sustainable and inclusive growth. It connects governments, businesses, investors, farmers and development partners, in order to advance ambitious agricultural partnership initiatives. By acting in concert, such partners can reduce risk, overcome market barriers, and achieve transformational change. Grow Africa also catalyses dynamic leadership commitment to drive this effort, with active patronage by Heads of State, Heads of International and African Agencies, and CEOs of leading African and international firms.

Participants: Grow Africa Forum Investment will be attended by over 200 high-level leaders of global, regional and national business, African and other governments, international organisations, civil society and farmers' organisations. Private-sector representatives will be drawn from a wide range of industries including agriculture, food and beverage, retail & consumer, financial services, IT and telecom, and infrastructure.

Journalists are invited to cover the official opening ceremony at the new African Union Conference Center, on May 9 starting from 9:00am.

For more information, please visit the African Union's website: www.au.int