From Fred Itua, Abuja
Sterling One Foundation has announced partnership with the United Nations to host the Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS) 2023 in August.
Speaking on the partnership, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the United Nations in Nigeria, Mr. Matthias Schmale, expressed delight at the partnership noting that convening the Africa Social Impact Summit was timely and highly relevant.
He said that against the backdrop of the pandemic, the Ukraine war and the negative socio-economic impact these and other crises have had on the global 2030 Development Agenda, it is more urgent than ever to rescue the SDGs and to accelerate their achievement in Nigeria and across the continent.
He added that the Africa Social Impact Summit provides an excellent platform for key development stakeholders in the country and on the continent to explore how to move forward together and find common solutions across borders.
The event which will hold on August 10-11 at the Eko Convention Center, Lagos, will bring together key stakeholders in the African development space, including corporate executives, impact investors and development experts from various United Nations (UN) bodies and donor agencies, according to Mrs. Olapeju Ibekwe, CEO of Sterling One Foundation.
Other stakeholders expected at the event are leaders of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), heads of government parastatals, international investors, private equity firms, as well as members of the general public who have deeply invested in the growth and progress of Africans, she said.
Mrs. Ibekwe explained: “The Africa Social Impact Summit, is Sterling One Foundation’s flagship platform that collaboratively brings together all players in the African development space to share ideas, learnings, and plans to ensure the holistic achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 2030 and Agenda 2063).”
She explained that ASIS is focused on giving various social impact players the right setting to discuss practical solutions to the continent’s challenges across climate action, circular economy, health, education, youth empowerment, renewable energy, and other sectors.
According to her, this year’s summit aims to structure agreed-on solutions into a comprehensive approach with the potential for long-term impact on the continent by providing more opportunities for more people and equitable access for everyone.
Besides panel discussions, the Summit will also feature a deal room, which will allow innovative entrepreneurs pitch to a curated set of impact investors in a bid to access new investments for their businesses to help deepen their impact and scale their sustainable solutions.
The Sterling One Foundation is a vehicle for positive social impact across critical sectors of the economy.
Driven by the unique challenges facing Africa and the need for progressive change, it is committed to being the benchmark of positive social impact in Nigeria by creating sustainable solutions for youth empowerment and job creation via impactful sectors.
The United Nations is an international organiation founded in 1945. Currently made up of 193 Member States, the UN and its work are guided by the purposes and principles contained in its founding Charter. Besides its focus on development, the UN also promotes peace across the globe and assists governments and their citizens in overcoming humanitarian challenges.
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