The Africa CEO Forum began in Kigali, Rwanda yesterday with a dialogue on the deployment of digital technology to catalyse economic prosperity on the continent.

Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame and Globacom’s Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), Mrs. Bella Disu, led the discourse.Kagame said Africa’s hope of achieving regional integration and economic growth would not be realised without modern technology and commended steps taken by Nigeria’s telecommunications giant, Globacom.

In his opening remarks, Kagame, who called for “open, responsive and accountable governance” on the continent, said the private sector was critical to growth because of its ability to “envision what needs to be changed to achieve desired improvement in the private and public sectors.”

Speaking, Disu noted that Globacom’s Glo1 armoured submarine cable and digital solutions such as mobile money, artificial intelligence, E-Health, Smart Cognitive Learning and Smart Energy, could help Africa achieve a digitised economy.Her words: “Like President Kagame, I have no doubt that greater integration will lead to continental growth and a more prosperous Africa. Globacom is committed to Africa’s economic renaissance.”

While, chairing a session on Women in Business, she commended Rwanda for its policy of 50 per cent female representation in all appointments, adding that other African countries should emulate the policy. She also called for more gender parity on the boards of companies.

Kagame hosted Mrs. Disu at a private session after the formal opening ceremony of the two-day event and both deliberated on ways Globacom could deploy its infrastructure, such as the Glo 1 international submarine cable to stimulate Africa’s digitisation.

Dignitaries at the opening session included Cote d’Ivoire’s Prime Minister, Amadou Gon Coulibaly; Ethiopian President, Sahle-Work Zewde; Togolese President, Faure Gnassingbé; President of Congo Democratic Republic, Felix Tshisekedi, Prime Minister of Rwanda, Édouard Ngirente and over 1,800 leading decision makers in the private and public sectors from across the continent.