The ThinkBig Africa Summit is an annual event that brings together some 1500 representing heads of states and government from Africa and the industrialized countries of North America, Europe and Asia, the diplomatic community, business leaders from the biggest companies and national parastatals in Africa, media leaders, leaders from research and academic institutions and think tanks, as well as youth leaders at different levels in the African continent. Others include the leaders of different multilateral organizations that have played a big part in Africa’s development like the World Bank, African Development Bank, and different branches of the United Nations. The United States Department of State has always appreciated the summit’s efforts to address Africa’s economic and social challenges.
It has always been envisioned that this annual international summit will address the main issues that have affected and hampered the development of Africa on the global stage and propose feasible work plans to guide Africa’s development on the international arena. The annual summit theme always acts as a forum to evaluate the performance of Africa in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and ways to speed up the achievement of the same as we come towards 2030.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17 global goals set by the United Nations. The broad goals are interrelated though each has its own targets to achieve. The total number of targets is 169. The SDGs cover a broad range of social and economic development issues. These include poverty, hunger, health, education, climate change, gender equality, water, sanitation, energy, environment and social justice.[1] The SDGs are also known as “Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” or Agenda 2030 in short.[2] The goals were developed to replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which ended in 2015. Unlike the MDGs, the SDG framework does not distinguish between “developed” and “developing” nations. Instead, the goals apply to all countries.
Summit Aim
To act as a think tank in formulating solutions that will act as a guide towards the realization of sustainable political, economic and social development of the African people.
Summit Vision
An Africa that is self-sustaining,
and is a good performer on the
political, economic and social fronts
An Africa where every individual is living to their full potential,
and does not depend on their neighbor or the state for survival,
but instead contributes fully to the socio-economic development of society
The Summit Research & Development Phase
Every year, in preparation for the ThinkBig Africa Summit, the Summit’s international steering committee first undertakes an extensive technical summit research and development phase. The mission of this summit phase is ‘To undertake the creation of a knowledge base and the amassing of technical information on Africa’s development that will act as a foundation for the proper conducting of the ThinkBig Africa International Summit that will be beneficial to all stakeholders, attendees and the continent as a whole.” Undoubtedly, this important phase allows us to bring more stakeholders and Africa’s development partners on Board to create a dependable information bank as well as a more dynamic model for participation.
The ThinkBig Africa Group, in partnership with CareRight HealthCare International hosted the first ever 2015 WORLD HEALTHCARE SUMMIT ON DEVELOPMENT ECONOMICS at the Waldorf Astoria, New York. The Summit was convened within the framework of the United Nations and the African Union Commission.
Theme: “Revitalizing and Advancing Africa’s healthcare industry for a sustainable future and a prosperous world”
At the Summit; heads of states and governments,the world’s top CEOs, scientists, physicians, economists, financiers, technologists, researchers and academicians, global decision-makers and industry leaders gathered to address the pressing world’s healthcare challenges and take bold actions to make the world better. It was a time for these leaders to map out long-term program strategies; and explore through creative experimentation and demonstration new solutions to the critical dilemmas of our global healthcare system.
Undoubtedly, the World HealthCare Summit on Development Economics provided Global leaders and healthcare experts with a platform to build consensus on the focus of future international efforts in maternal, newborn and child health.
The Summit also focused on the critical issues of strengthening healthcare systems; reducing the burden of diseases on developing nations; and building new partnerships with the private sector.
The Summit provided rare insight into the complex mechanisms of both Global health delivery and international health policy in our quest to rescue our World from its looming healthcare catastrophe.