Soft power is the new hard power. It is in Africa that this transformation to soft power can take place and become strategically valuable. Africa is experiencing an exceptional cultural revolution through fashion, film, visual arts, cultural sites, media, design, video games, entertainment, music, literature, and even the launch by the NBA of an African Basketball League whose last investor was President Obama.

On October 15th, 2021, the Africa Center at the Atlantic Council, made possible by the sponsorship of ADS Group, OCP Africa and Prosper Africa, welcomes you to the Africa Creative Industries Summit. In partnership with the Smithsonian Museum of African Art and Trace TV, the Summit provides a unique and timely convening of leaders and stakeholders in dialogue to discuss the many opportunities, pathways and challenges in the creative industries. The relationship the U.S. has with African culture and creative industries is full of potential and promise. In a time of global recovery and transition, the creative and cultural industries can foster collective security and prosperity.

Join us as we engage in critical conversations anchored in a series of high-level dialogues between leaders, icons and cultural and creative industries experts and investors. The program will include a combination of moderated panels, remarks, digital media and performances that share expert insights, tackle problems, generate new ideas, and help to identify innovative recommendations. This high-profile event explores the most important elements of African culture and creative industries, along with the associated challenges.

African cultural soft power has always existed. From Dior to Louis Vuitton, H&M to Zara, fashion weeks from Johannesburg to Lagos, fashion has been renewed with African inspirations. Films like Beyoncé’s Disney-produced musical, Black is King, is a celebration of Africa dreamed up in line with the global success of Black Panther, which featured award-winning African actors in Hollywood such as Lupita N’yongo and Daniel Kaluuya. In the music industry, Nigerian artists such as Burna Boy, Davido, and Wizkid have signed with Sony, won Grammy awards and have been featured in President Joe Biden’s inauguration. The continent and the NBA’s commitment to the new Basketball Africa League, or BAL, shows the strong belief in using sports as a driver for growth across an array of sectors.

In 2050, one in four people on earth will be African. Africa’s population will be five times larger than that of North America and Europe. The middle class is expected to grow from 355 million in 2010 to 1.1 billion in 2060. The future is African. However, African cultural and creative industries face a myriad of challenges. African creative industries counts for less than 1% of the African GDP. African cultural and creative industries need support to enhance the incredible work already being done by creatives because those in this industry largely do the work on their own with little support.

The African Cultural and Creative Industries provide a platform to resolve conflicts, increase tourism, combat climate change, support the rule of law, diversify economies, create new infrastructure, increase media and technology opportunities and change outdated narratives. Africa will be able to benefit from U.S. investment in its cultural markets and find unprecedented ways to enhance its exceptional cultural historical assets, enabling it to take advantage of its current strengths (digital economic growth and the dynamism of an urban and enterprising youth) to embody an innovative Africa.

Agenda

8:00 a.m. – 8:25 a.m.

Opening session

Panel 1: Visual arts, design and fashion

Performance following
Maggie Mutesi, Managing Editor, Mansa Media
Alphadi, Fashion Designer
Melvin Foote, CEO, Constituency for Africa
Meriem Berrada, Artistic Director, Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden (MACAAL) in Marrakech
H.E. Nana Akufo-Addo, President, Republic of Ghana
H.E. Hilda Suka-Mafudze, Ambassador, African Union mission to the US

8:25 a.m. – 9:10 a.m.
9:15 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Panel 2: Music and performing arts

Remarks following
Bobby Pittman, Managing Director, Kupanda Capital
H.E. Abraão Aníbal Fernandes Barbosa Vicente, Minister of Culture and Creative Industries, Cabo Verde
Dana Banks, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director, Africa, National Security Council
Dr. Mohamed Camara, Chair, Department of African Studies, Howard University
Samba Bathily, President, African Development Solutions Group

Panel 3: Literature, publishing and education

Olivier Laouchez, CEO, Trace
Boubacar Boris Diop, Novelist and Journalist
Constance Berry Newman, Chair, African Renaissance and Diaspora Network, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council
Dr. Ofosuwa Abiola, Chair, Department of Theater Arts, Howard University
Rep. Sara Jacobs, Vice Chairwoman, House Africa Subcommittee

10:05 a.m. – 10:50 a.m.
10:50 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.

Panel 4: Film, television, radio, advertising and sports

Performance and remarks following
Anthony Jones, CEO, Georgia Entertainment Association
Akunna Cook, Deputy Assistant, Secretary of State for African Affairs, U.S. Department of State
Amadou Gallo Fall, President, Basketball Africa League
Didier Drogba, Former Professional Football Player, Premiere League
Kunle Afolayan, Nollywood Film Producer
H.E. Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister, Barbados

Panel 5: How to finance the African creative industries

Rama Yade, Director, Africa Center, Atlantic Council
Bobby Pittman, Managing Director, Kupanda Capital
Dr. Benedict Oramah, President, Afreximbank
Eric Tomosunas, Swirl Film and Production
Leslie Marbury, Chief Operating Officer, Prosper Africa
Solomon Quaynor, Vice President, Private Sector, Infrastructure, and Industrialization, African Development Bank
Dr. Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

12:00 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.
12:45 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Concluding remarks

Speakers

  • Rama Yade, Director, Africa Center, Atlantic Council
  • Ngaire Blankenberg, Director, Smithsonian National Museum of African Art
  • H.E. Roch Marc Christian Kaboré, President, Burkina Faso
  • Nomcebo, Singer
  • Maggie Mutesi, Managing Editor, Mansa Media
  • H.E. Nana Akufo-Addo, President, Republic of Ghana
  • H.E. Hilda Suka-Mafudze, Ambassador, African Union mission to the US
  • Alphadi, Fashion Designer
  • Melvin Foote, CEO, Constituency for Africa
  • Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister, Barbados
  • Teddy Riley, Artist and Partner of Social Nation Africa
  • Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank
  • H.E. Abraão  Aníbal Fernandes Barbosa Vicente, Minister of Culture and Creative Industries, Cabo Verde
  • Dana Banks, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director, Africa, National Security Council
  • Samba Bathily, President, African Development Solutions Group
  • Dr. Mohamed Camara, Chair, Department of African Studies, Howard University
  • Coumba Gawlo, Singer and United Nations Goodwill Ambassador
  • Constance Berry Newman, Chair, African Renaissance and Diaspora Network, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council
  • Olivier Laouchez, CEO, Trace
  • Boubacar Boris Diop, Novelist and Journalist
  • Rep. Sara Jacobs, Congresswoman, Member of Africa Subcommittee
  • Dr. Ofosuwa Abiola, Chair, Department of Theater Arts, Howard University
  • Anthony Jones, CEO, Georgia Entertainment Association
  • Meriem Berrada, Artistic Director, Museum of African Contemporary Art Al Maaden (MACAAL) in Marrakech
  • Amadou Gallo Fall, President, Basketball Africa League
  • Didier Drogba, Former Professional Football Player, Premiere League
  • Akunna Cook, Deputy Assistant, Secretary of State for African Affairs, U.S. Department of State
  • Kunle Afolayan, Nollywood Film Producer
  • Bobby Pittman, Managing Director, Kupanda Capital
  • Dr. Vera Songwe, Executive Secretary, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
  • Dr. Benedict Oramah, President, Afreximbank
  • Solomon Quaynor, Vice President, Private Sector, Infrastructure, and Industrialization, African Development Bank
  • H.E. President Tshisekedi, Current President, African Union
  • Leslie Marbury, Chief Operating Officer, Prosper Africa
  • Eric Tomosunas, Swirl Film and Production
  • Frederick Kempe, President and CEO, Atlantic Council

Coverage

Recap the event

New Atlanticist

Oct 18, 2021

Africa’s cultural revolution is here. Meet some of its movers and shakers.

By Katherine Walla

The Atlantic Council brought together Africa’s brightest cultural minds—and the policymakers who’ve helped make their achievements possible—to understand Africa’s cultural revolution and rising soft power.

Africa General Africa

Rewatch the event

Notable quote

Photos

Press release

Press Release

Oct 7, 2021

Atlantic Council’s Africa Center to host high-level international summit on African creative industries

Inaugural event dedicated to advancing the African cultural agenda will feature African heads of state, senior US officials, and icons from arts, film & television, sports, fashion, and music industries WASHINGTON DC—October 7, 2021—The Atlantic Council’s Africa Center will host the inaugural Africa Creative Industries Summit on Friday, October 15, 2021. The summit will feature senior government officials, […]

Africa

The Africa Center works to promote dynamic geopolitical partnerships with African states and to redirect US and European policy priorities toward strengthening security and bolstering economic growth and prosperity on the continent.