WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.740 --> 00:00:03.630 Stretching across six time zones 2 00:00:03.630 --> 00:00:05.340 and 54 nations, 3 00:00:05.340 --> 00:00:09.780 Africa is populated by more than 1.4 billion people. 4 00:00:09.780 --> 00:00:13.800 It's a continent with unparalleled diversity and complexity, 5 00:00:13.800 --> 00:00:17.820 and it represents the rich potential of a pluralistic world. 6 00:00:17.820 --> 00:00:19.263 The continent's path to prosperity 7 00:00:19.263 --> 00:00:22.200 will overcome a boom in population, 8 00:00:22.200 --> 00:00:24.762 fast urbanization, climate change, 9 00:00:24.762 --> 00:00:27.055 and acceleration in positive health, 10 00:00:27.055 --> 00:00:30.300 education, and economic outcomes. 11 00:00:30.300 --> 00:00:31.819 The private sector is essential 12 00:00:31.819 --> 00:00:34.440 to this unstoppable potential. 13 00:00:34.440 --> 00:00:36.899 Despite being fragmented across geographies, 14 00:00:36.899 --> 00:00:38.847 Africa's private sector is greater 15 00:00:38.847 --> 00:00:40.950 than the sum of its parts, 16 00:00:40.950 --> 00:00:43.140 but how can it reach its full potential 17 00:00:43.140 --> 00:00:45.720 and operate with a unified voice? 18 00:00:45.720 --> 00:00:48.540 Built upon the mission of the UN Global Compact, 19 00:00:48.540 --> 00:00:51.030 working in partnership with BCG, 20 00:00:51.030 --> 00:00:52.917 the Africa Business Leaders Coalition, 21 00:00:52.917 --> 00:00:55.459 ABLC, bridges this gap. 22 00:00:55.459 --> 00:00:57.930 (upbeat music) 23 00:00:57.930 --> 00:00:59.490 It's a unique platform. 24 00:00:59.490 --> 00:01:03.336 line:15% It's a Pan-African coalition of CEO-led business leaders. 25 00:01:03.336 --> 00:01:07.620 line:15% There are 58 of them, and the coalition is growing. 26 00:01:07.620 --> 00:01:10.144 It's represented across 50 different countries 27 00:01:10.144 --> 00:01:11.640 on the continent. 28 00:01:11.640 --> 00:01:14.747 line:15% The private sector has a very important role to play 29 00:01:14.747 --> 00:01:17.160 line:15% in the development of the continent. 30 00:01:17.160 --> 00:01:22.080 line:15% And ABLC is the best tool to promote the right policies, 31 00:01:22.080 --> 00:01:23.037 but also to make sure 32 00:01:23.037 --> 00:01:26.071 that everybody is moving into action very fast 33 00:01:26.071 --> 00:01:29.070 and making sure that we're doing it the right way. 34 00:01:29.070 --> 00:01:31.063 As the name suggests, coalition, 35 00:01:31.063 --> 00:01:36.063 line:15% it's bringing us together so that we have a united front, 36 00:01:36.390 --> 00:01:39.493 we align our efforts, we synergize each other, 37 00:01:39.493 --> 00:01:43.020 and bring particularly the private sector together 38 00:01:43.020 --> 00:01:45.150 to climate action. 39 00:01:45.150 --> 00:01:47.823 I think putting the capital base 40 00:01:47.823 --> 00:01:51.180 of the private sector will go a long way 41 00:01:51.180 --> 00:01:56.180 to complement the public sector in climate action. 42 00:01:56.370 --> 00:01:58.628 This coalition is not a finance coalition 43 00:01:58.628 --> 00:02:02.760 or an industry coalition or a consumer goods coalition. 44 00:02:02.760 --> 00:02:05.497 It's a coalition of companies across all sectors 45 00:02:05.497 --> 00:02:08.760 and that makes sure that the voice is holistic, 46 00:02:08.760 --> 00:02:10.107 the voice is representative, 47 00:02:10.107 --> 00:02:11.580 and it's a voice that you can say, 48 00:02:11.580 --> 00:02:14.730 this is the private sector voice in Africa. 49 00:02:14.730 --> 00:02:16.140 So when we established this coalition, 50 00:02:16.140 --> 00:02:19.710 it was established with climate as a central piece 51 00:02:19.710 --> 00:02:22.113 and that gave an anchor to the coalition. 52 00:02:23.100 --> 00:02:24.425 One year after its launch, 53 00:02:24.425 --> 00:02:28.530 climate considerations among ABLC companies has doubled, 54 00:02:28.530 --> 00:02:31.080 and those preparing climate resilience plans 55 00:02:31.080 --> 00:02:34.590 increased by 150%. 56 00:02:34.590 --> 00:02:37.405 Between 2022 and 2023, 57 00:02:37.405 --> 00:02:40.290 twice as many companies set specific targets 58 00:02:40.290 --> 00:02:42.660 to increase renewable energy use, 59 00:02:42.660 --> 00:02:46.530 and more than a third actively reduced their emissions. 60 00:02:46.530 --> 00:02:50.043 With this momentum, progress is accelerating. 61 00:02:51.842 --> 00:02:54.819 Naspers is making great progress on climate action. 62 00:02:54.819 --> 00:02:57.120 I think, looking from the time 63 00:02:57.120 --> 00:02:59.711 that we came from Sharm el-Sheik in Egypt 64 00:02:59.711 --> 00:03:01.264 together with the ABLC, 65 00:03:01.264 --> 00:03:03.267 line:15% it's really been good to see the extent 66 00:03:03.267 --> 00:03:05.502 line:15% to which we all could remain committed 67 00:03:05.502 --> 00:03:08.340 line:15% to achieving our climate action targets. 68 00:03:08.340 --> 00:03:10.470 It's been incredible to see growth from concept 69 00:03:10.470 --> 00:03:13.688 line:15% to a coalition now of over 60 business leaders 70 00:03:13.688 --> 00:03:16.830 line:15% and really starting to drive forward policy dialogue 71 00:03:16.830 --> 00:03:18.690 with governments doing advocacy 72 00:03:18.690 --> 00:03:19.890 and also, equally importantly, 73 00:03:19.890 --> 00:03:22.230 driving their own capacities within business. 74 00:03:22.230 --> 00:03:23.400 We felt 75 00:03:23.400 --> 00:03:24.746 climate was too important 76 00:03:24.746 --> 00:03:28.440 to leave it to government leaders alone, 77 00:03:28.440 --> 00:03:31.020 and we felt that the best mechanism 78 00:03:31.020 --> 00:03:35.430 of executing climate action is by the private sector, 79 00:03:35.430 --> 00:03:39.120 such that it's people-centered, it's people owned, 80 00:03:39.120 --> 00:03:42.330 and each of us makes our contribution. 81 00:03:42.330 --> 00:03:44.660 But I believe that we should also focus 82 00:03:44.660 --> 00:03:48.570 on social interventions to ensure we address 83 00:03:48.570 --> 00:03:51.000 the underlying problem of poverty 84 00:03:51.000 --> 00:03:55.223 and access to health by the population. 85 00:03:55.223 --> 00:03:56.671 I'm extremely happy about the work 86 00:03:56.671 --> 00:03:59.167 that we're doing in terms of climate action, 87 00:03:59.167 --> 00:04:01.290 but what I'd like to see more of 88 00:04:01.290 --> 00:04:04.110 is work with respect to gender equality 89 00:04:04.110 --> 00:04:07.800 and ensuring that we have more inclusion. 90 00:04:07.800 --> 00:04:10.177 We need more communities to be with us 91 00:04:10.177 --> 00:04:11.730 as we continue with this. 92 00:04:11.730 --> 00:04:13.745 Coalitions are only as important as the ecosystems 93 00:04:13.745 --> 00:04:15.270 that they change, 94 00:04:15.270 --> 00:04:16.500 the envelopes that they push, 95 00:04:16.500 --> 00:04:18.360 and the boundaries that they create. 96 00:04:18.360 --> 00:04:19.717 So I'd really love to see how we can 97 00:04:19.717 --> 00:04:22.200 take the opportunity of ABLC 98 00:04:22.200 --> 00:04:25.260 to push even further for this next seven years 99 00:04:25.260 --> 00:04:26.744 of the sustainable development goals, 100 00:04:26.744 --> 00:04:29.100 but most importantly for Africa, 101 00:04:29.100 --> 00:04:31.050 demonstrating and reshaping the narrative 102 00:04:31.050 --> 00:04:32.355 of the African private sector, 103 00:04:32.355 --> 00:04:35.010 because it's such a fundamental pillar of growth 104 00:04:35.010 --> 00:04:37.170 and transformation for the continent. 105 00:04:37.170 --> 00:04:38.322 This is not just about us. 106 00:04:38.322 --> 00:04:40.190 It's about the future, it's about our youth, 107 00:04:40.190 --> 00:04:43.456 and ensuring that they have a real sustainable future 108 00:04:43.456 --> 00:04:44.780 as we move forward. 109 00:04:44.780 --> 00:04:47.363 (bright music)