‘Usalama ni Harambee,’ The Africa Business and Security Forum, is a major initiative to create a dialogue between the public, private and voluntary sectors about security and its implications for business, economic growth and development in Africa.

This dialogue is long overdue. African economies are growing rapidly and their future depends on a stable, secure environment that encourages growth and development.

‘Usalama ni Harambee’ will bring together African and international businesses, political leaders, NGOs, IGOs and academics to discuss how we can cooperate more effectively to secure the future.

The Africa Forum on Business and Security is not only your chance to take part in a discussion of major importance for the future of Africa, but also to take advantage of this prestigious platform to promote your organisation and benefit from what will be a unique networking opportunity.

• Emerging threats and opportunities
• Business and security: partners in African development
• Threats to business, stability and growth
• Economic threats
• Financial threats
• eGovernment
• Commercial / competitive threats – protecting trade
• Political / strategic threats
• Terrorism in Africa – perspectives
• The African Union and peacekeeping
• Peace-building initiatives
• The modern security environment and its nature
• Nodes of vulnerability
• African cyber infrastructure and threats to it
• Security and the private sector
• The security dividend – a boost for business
• Development, security and business
• Legislation and legal frameworks
• Infrastructure: protecting what we have, building what we need
• Resilience and response
• Reconstruction
• Poverty and conflict
• Education and conflict
• Maritime security, including piracy, freight security, ports etc
• Competing influences
• Corruption
• Africa’s resources
• Vulnerabilities and strengths
• International assistance available
• Environmental security
• Energy Security
• Security of Supply
• Fraud, counterfeiting and forgery
• Identity
• Public health, epidemics, genetics, bio-war etc.
• HIV / Aids / Malaria
• Culture and security
• Liberty and security
• The security balance for business
• Women and business; women and peace
• Youth
• Private Security Companies
• Special focus: Sahel, Maghreb, Congo, Nile, Sudan, Somalia

The forum will be hosted at the LAICO Regency Hotel on September 13-14, 2012.

Complete contact details for the venue can be found here.

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Capicola hamburger ribeye shankle, bresaola tenderloin beef meatloaf tri-tip salami. Shank meatball pastrami kielbasa, filet mignon turkey ham hock beef. Venison turducken pork chop, meatball chuck biltong cow. Pastrami spare ribs boudin, bacon swine beef tri-tip brisket turducken short loin rump. Spare ribs ham pig venison shoulder. Salami t-bone cow chuck, drumstick capicola frankfurter sausage pork pig prosciutto shank andouille venison beef.

The New Security Foundation, in partnership with the Government of Kenya, has issued a Call for Papers for ‘The Africa Forum on Business and Security.’

This important forum aims to bring African and international businesses, political leaders, NGOs, IGOs, academics and experts together for a discussion about the key security issues facing African economies. The forum will be held at the LAICO Regency Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya, September 13-14, 2012.

The forum will use a variety of formats and cover a wide range of themes and sectors including cyber and information security, infrastructure, threats to the financial services sector, transport, tourism, food, water and energy security. More information on how to submit a proposal for the forum can be found here.

The Call for Papers will close on August 7, 2012.

The organisers would also be interested to hear suggestions for other relevant topics for discussion and will consider these along with responses to the call for papers.

‘Usalama ni Harambee’, the Africa Forum on Business and Security, is a major initiative to create a dialogue between the public, private and voluntary sectors about security and its implications for business, economic growth and development in Africa.

Africa has now firmly established itself as one of the world’s fastest growing regions. During the last ten years, six out of the ten fastest growing economies in the world were in sub-Saharan Africa and, according to The Economist newspaper, it is likely that, over the next five years, “the average African economy will outpace its Asian counterpart.”

Whether Africa can continue to achieve this impressive rate of growth will depend in part on security. War, natural disaster, terrorism, corruption, organised crime and a host of other threats all have the potential to destabilise African economies. So, it is time to talk about the big issues affecting African business and security.

Security has changed radically during the past two decades. Globalisation, privatisation and new forms of communication have created a new security environment and a host of new vulnerabilities.

Security is no longer the exclusive preserve of the nation state. Now, increasingly, it concerns all of us. Private sector companies are taking on major security functions. NGOs find themselves caught up in conflict. And even individual citizens have to adapt to the reality of a new and more intrusive world, in which they can find themselves on the ‘front line’.

At the same time, the new situation offers an unparalleled opportunity for people, businesses and organisations to take a lead in developing new security solutions and helping to create the climate for stability and growth.

The aim of the Africa Forum on Business and Security is to bring African and international business people together with political leaders, security professionals, aid workers and academics to discuss our common interest in Africa’s security.

What is the nature of modern security? Why does it concern all of us? What are the threats to it? Where are we vulnerable and how can we protect ourselves, our businesses and our societies? How can we help prevent conflict and create the conditions for stability, growth and prosperity?

What can business do to make a difference?

We hope that, by bringing African and international businesses together with political leaders, security experts and the voluntary sector, we will be able to focus on our common problems and identify ways in which we can work together more effectively to develop new solutions.

That is why we have called the Forum ‘Usalama ni Harambee – Security Through Partnership’. Together we can develop new solutions. Be a part of the discussion and let’s shape the future.