Bamako Forum to kick off Thursday

The Bamako Forum in Mali, set for Thursday through Saturday, will focus on the theme "Africa: Between Chaos and Emergence."

The Bamako Forum brings together government leaders, researchers, business owners and managers to give them the opportunity to discuss new and innovative ways to make Africa a stronger player in the global marketplace.

Topics to be covered include migration, security, religion, unemployment, the role of youth in Africa's development, entrepreneurship, public service and relations between Africa's nations and its citizens.

The forum will also offer attendees the opportunity to network with one another and attend informational and educational panels.

"A spirit of dialogue inspires everything that we do within the forum; with that in mind we will compare ideas and projects with the ambition to write a road map for the continent," Bamako Foundation Forum President Abdullah Coulibaly said. "We are in [a] ‘make or break moment’ of our history."

Bridge Tank Director Joel Ruet, who attends the forum each year, said the event is a "unique and forward-looking platform where all the creativity of Africa can be found."

Alpha Diallo, CEO of On Time International, agreed.

"All stakeholders are represented," Diallo said. "We have the opportunity to meet other Africans and learn from each other - these events are still too rare on the continent."

Sponsored by Mali's president, Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, this is the 16th year the forum is being held. 

For more information about this year's Bamako Forum, visit www.ForumDeBamako.com.