Africa faces enormous economic opportunities, as the recent South African G20 presidency declared,
but also challenges that must be overcome if it is to ‘seize its moment’. One of the challenges is on
the ‘demand side’ – to ensure that there is a robust supply of investable projects that can meet the
socio-economic needs of Africa’s varied economies. On the “supply side”, more capital is needed to
turn start-up dreams into reality and fuel innovation and economic growth; and this requires a fresh
approach to finance from investors who assess risks objectively and seek both return and impact.
GIZ aims to make a distinctive contribution to this imperative. Accordingly, GIZ’s managing director
Anna Sophie Herken invites CEOs of venture capital/private equity funds, institutional investors, and
family offices, leaders from foundations, development finance institutions and think tanks/advisory
firms, as well as high-level political decision-makers, business angels, and high-net-worth individ-
uals in Africa and the Global North to the official Launch of the Innovative Capital Mobilisation in
Africa (ICAMA) Initiative during the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2026. Women
Political Leaders (WPL) is pleased to partner with GIZ and champion this important initiative.
