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November 2022 Tangiers, Morocco
As a historical partner of the Amadeus Institute, Tomorrow Foundation was present from November 2 to 5 at the 14th edition of the MEDAYS Forum, which takes place every year in Tangier under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, King of Morocco. The 2022 edition’s highlight was the participation of H.E. Dr. George WEAH, President of the Republic of Liberia, and H.E.M. José Maria Neves, President of the Republic of Cape Verde.
Maggie GU, founder and president of the Tomorrow Foundation, took part in the many meetings, debates and exchanges that took place during the Forum, at the invitation of her partner and counterpart Mr. Brahim Fassi-Fihri, president of the Amadeus Institute, a Moroccan Think-Tank renowned in Africa and the Arab world.
This 14th edition was the first to be held in person since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. The theme of this edition was “From crises to crises: towards a new world order? ". The debates and panels in which representatives of the Tomorrow Foundation participated focused on highlighting the opportunities offered by post-Covid economic recovery in Africa, as well as the challenges posed by the war in Ukraine.
In these exchanges, the Tomorrow Foundation presented its actions in favor of youth entrepreneurship, international cooperation, and new technologies. As the MEDAYS aims at finding solutions to boost African economic and social development, the results obtained by the Tomorrow Foundation’s initiatives for developing the youth’s skills in sub-Saharan countries have fueled the exchanges, attended by many heads of government and ministers representing several sub-Saharan countries. The Tomorrow Foundation recalled its actions to contribute providing the technical assistance, infrastructure, and training necessary digitalizing Africa.
During her intervention in the panel entitled “Doing Business in Africa During the Global Crisis: How can China help?”, Maggie GU insisted on the importance of seizing the opportunities presented by the post-pandemic context to invest in the most useful sectors to enhance economic development and trigger positive impacts for African economies. Maggie GU recalled the major role of China as a partner of many African States to build projects with high added value for the development of the continent, and the need to promote the development of an industrial fabric including processing industries on African soil. Maggie GU called for capitalizing on the increase in trade between China and Africa, especially digital technologies, to make digitization and digital a vector of growth and economic development that benefits everyone.
Mr. Liban SOLEMAN, Principal Advisor and representative of the Tomorrow Foundation at the MEDAYS Forum, intervened in the panel entitled “Investments, Development and Recovery: What reaction (s), evolution (s), tools and strateg (ies) to face the current crises? ". During his speech, Mr. SOLEMAN welcomed the diversification of economic and political partnerships that Africa has started, which has been accelerated by the Covid-19 crisis and now the war in Ukraine. Mr. SOLEMAN insisted on the need to build African sovereignty in all productive sectors, industries, digital technologies, and promoting culture, so that the revenues from African production return to Africa and benefit the development of the continent. Valuing the skills and talents of young people must, according to Mr. SOLEMAN, be one of the priorities of governments to build the future of African economies. The digitization of economies has great potential in this regard. Mr. SOLEMAN insisted on the need to integrate these elements in the construction of the ZLECAF free trade area, which must be an accelerator of digital growth and talent and skills promotion for young people.
On the sidelines of the summit, Mrs. GU and her teams met with H.E. Dr. George WEAH, President of the Republic of Liberia, and Mrs. Clar Marie Duncan Weah, First Lady of Liberia, during which Mrs. GU, the President and the First Lady discussed the evolution of the Tomorrow Foundation's projects and collaborations with several actors and NGOs in Liberia. During this meeting, the President and the First Lady welcomed the progress of current projects in favor of local development and access to basic services in rural areas.
Ms. GU also met with H.E.M. José Maria Neves, President of the Republic of Cape Verde. During this meeting, Mrs. GU presented activities of the Tomorrow Foundation to the President. The President and Mrs. GU discussed the sectors in which potential partnerships are possible with the Tomorrow Foundation in Cape Verde.
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