One of Africa’s biggest investment meetings has been postponed because of concerns over the Ebola outbreak in parts of Central and East Africa. The fifth Annual Meeting of the Africa Sovereign Investors Forum (ASIF) was due to take place in Luanda, Angola, from 5 to 7 July.
In a statement, Angola’s sovereign wealth fund, Fundo Soberano de Angola (FSDEA), said the decision was made to protect everyone attending the event.
The organisers said the Ebola outbreak has affected international travel advice and raised health concerns among delegates.
They stressed that Angola is not one of the countries affected by the outbreak.
“The postponement does not reflect a public health emergency in Angola, nor does it relate to the country’s preparedness to host the event,” the statement said.
No new date has been announced.
The organisers said this year’s meeting will still be held in Luanda when the regional health situation improves. Until then, members will continue working together online.
The forum brings together 17 African sovereign wealth funds to discuss investment and economic development across the continent.
This year’s meeting was due to take place at the InterContinental Miramar Hotel under the theme “Strategic Allocation in a Constrained World: Leveraging Africa’s Resources for Its Structural Transformation.”
It was expected to bring together senior executives from the 17 member funds, government ministers, central bank governors, international investors and development partners, including the African Development Bank and Africa50.
FSDEA, Angola’s $5bn sovereign wealth fund, was hosting this year’s event. Created in 2011, the fund invests in infrastructure, agriculture, real estate and financial markets.
ASIF was launched in Rabat in 2022 to encourage African countries to invest more together and attract private investment.
Through its investment platform, the forum aims to raise up to $50bn in blended finance by 2030 to support cross-border infrastructure, energy and digital projects across Africa.
