Ashish J Thakkar, Chairman, United Nations Foundation - Global Entrepreneurs Council (UNF - GEC) and Founder Mara Group and Mara Foundation calls for greater collaboration and engagement between emerging countries, particularly those in Africa and India, to facilitate new opportunities and accelerate job-creation over the next 5 years. This is part the UNF-GEC’s global mandate to increase sustainable global economic growth by creating a more empowering ecosystem for entrepreneurs.
Accelerating entrepreneurial collaboration between Africa and India can lead to the creation of up to 3 million new entrepreneurs by 2020. These 3 million entrepreneurs in turn are likely to facilitate additional direct and indirect employment and economic benefits for 25 -30 million people in the same period. These new entrepreneurs combined are likely to generate US$ 50 billion in economic benefits for the two regions by 2020.
Highlighting the enormous possibilities of collaboration and partnerships between the two vast and populous regions, Ashish J Thakkar, Chairman, United Nations Foundation - Global Entrepreneurs Council and Founder Mara Group and Mara Foundation said, “Increasing entrepreneurial cooperation between India and Africa can play a significant role in poverty elimination and increasing employment. In the 21st century however I see entrepreneurs and innovators more central to finding sustainable solutions to these issues along with governments. The challenges and opportunities faced by continental Africa and the Indian sub-continent are strikingly similar. Both are economically vibrant regions, with a young workforce that is full of anticipation and hope for the future. A resurgent Africa and an economic power such as India have much to gain if they encourage and foster greater people-to-people collaboration through entrepreneurship and mentorship.”
He further added, “As Chairman of UNF-GEC and an African business leader, I am deeply enthused by and have great respect for India’s and Prime Minister Modi’s partnership-oriented model of engagement with the African continent. This great partnership now needs to move from a government-to-government level to a people-to-people level to encourage greater innovation and economic benefits, to be led by entrepreneurs of both regions. This new entrepreneurial surge will bring in economic benefits of approximately US$ 50 billion while also increasing jobs and generating additional economic opportunities in the region. This will also support the key objectives of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.”
Most of these jobs are expected to be created in the area of modern retail, e-commerce, education, textiles, FMCG, healthcare, pharmaceutical and manufacturing. Cross-collaboration between the two regions will also accelerate knowledge sharing and capacity development.
Ashish J Thakkar also met with His Excellency, John Dramani Mahama, President, Republic of Ghana. The two leaders spoke about a global human network linked by the internet and digital platforms to help them connect and collaborate — sharing skills, bringing insights and resources to create new solutions to accelerate sustainable economic growth and development. They encouraged India’s vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem led by a strong, digitally powered start-up community and 48 million strong SME base to look towards Africa for partnership and collaboration to encourage and facilitate entrepreneurship in both regions.
Greater entrepreneurial linkages between the two regions, home to over 2.2 billion people and also home to some of the earliest human civilizations directly links to the success of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
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