By Samuel Kamndaya
A conference to discuss ways of boosting agricultural production in Africa will be held in Zanzibar later this month, its organisers have said.
The Europe-Sadc States Bridge (ESSB), a Berlin-based institution for promoting investments to eastern and southern Africa, said the three-day event would start on September 28.
The organisation said in a statement to The Citizen that the Africa Arab Agro-Investment Conference (AAAIC) 2009, which was earlier scheduled for last May, would be opened by the President of Zanzibar, Mr Amani Abeid Karume.
President Jakaya Kikwete is expected to close the conference, whose participants will include top African and Middle East government officials.
The global public relations officer of ESSB, Mr David Jacob, said the gathering aimed at creating a forum for public and private sector leaders to discuss issues that stunt the development of commercial agriculture in Africa and propose the way forward.
"The AAAIC will go ahead as planned after the rescheduling in May. It will be held from the September 28 to 30 at the Zamani Zanzibar Kempinski Hotel. We are finalising the preparations for the event as we speak," Mr Jacob noted in the statement.
The meeting will also facilitate partnerships among private sector players from Africa and Arab countries.
It will draw a roadmap for Africa to develop her agriculture with financial and technological aid from the oil-rich Arab countries.
The conference programme shows that over ten papers are earmarked for presentation and discussion.
