Dr Auma Obama, Chair of the Sauti Kuu Foundation and half-sister of US President Barack Obama, will lend her philanthropic voice to the Africa Forum on Business and Security.

An intriguing collection of leading entrepreneurs and investors will join political leaders and security specialists at the Africa Forum on Business and Security. They include Sir Paul Judge, Chairman of the Schroder Income Growth Fund and one of Britain’s best known business figures; Vimal Shah, CEO of Bidco, one of East Africa’s leading manufacturing companies; and Sarah Collins, founder of a remarkable new product, ‘ Wonderbag,’ which she designed to reduce the amount of fuel used in the cooking of food. They will join representatives of leading international companies and organisations, including GE Oil & Gas, Microsoft, Credit Suisse, JCDecaux, Monsanto and the Rockefeller Foundation for what will be a fascinating conference.

As Kenya counts down to the first general election to be held since the enactment of a new constitution in 2010, Kinuthia Wamwangi, Chairman of the County Transition Authority, will speak about the country’s move towards devolution and how this transition is crucial for Kenya’s stability. Delegates in this session will not only learn about the Kenyan situation in detail but will also be able to draw lessons that are applicable in other contexts.

A major theme on the agenda at the Africa Forum on Business and Security will be energy security. Vincent Gilles, a Managing Director at Credit Suisse and the firm’s leading specialist on utility equities, will chair a session on ‘resource security – energy, mining and minerals.’ Dr Costello Garang Ring Lual, Special Adviser to the President of South Sudan, one of Africa’s hottest energy investment prospects, will be a keynote speaker in a session that will also involve Marco Caccavale, Regional General Manager of energy giant GE Oil & Gas.

The distribution of land and natural resources continues to be a source of conflict and contention across the Continent.  Kinyua M’Mbijjewe, Monsanto Corporate Affairs Lead in Africa, will open a discussion on how the private sector can work with farmers and ordinary citizens  to enable better access to land and to improve food production. Joining him will be ; James Nyoro, Food security expert and former Managing Director of the Rockefeller Foundation, Nairobi; and Vimal Shah, Group CEO of the Bidco Group of Companies.  The discussion will cover the role of the private sector in agricultural production; the strategies, tools and technology that countries should adopt for long-term food security as well as how access to land and water resources impacts livelihoods and economies.

A skilled workforce is at the heart of any successful economy.  As the former Director General of the UK Defence Academy, Lieutenant General Andrew Graham CB, CBE is well placed to give an insight into the relationship between education, national stability and economic vitality.  Joining him in this session are Dr Bakary Diallo, Rector of the African Virtual University; Dr Simon Mamosi Lelo, Director General of the African Training and Research Centre in Administration for Development (CAFRAD) and Brigadier General Marcel Chirwa, Executive Secretary of the African Peace Support Trainers Association (APSTA).

The role of private security firms will be up for discussion at the Africa Forum on Business and Security. One of the biggest employers in many African countries, the private security sector is already making a major contribution to securing businesses, trade and economies. However, regulations governing the activities of private companies remain lax in many African countries, and their role is often controversial. Leading experts Daniel Shepherd of the Security in Complex Environments Group (SCEG) of ADS and Njeri Karuru of IDRC will discuss the future of private security companies and Captain Khamis Twalib, General Manager of the Kenya Ports Authority, will take part in a major session on transport and maritime security with Chris Donnelly, former Special Adviser to the Secretary General of NATO.