2024 Africa Roundtable on Private Sector Solutions to Internal Displacement
2024 Africa Roundtable on Private Sector Solutions to Internal Displacement
The 2024 Africa Roundtable, held in Lagos, brought together visionary leaders from the private sector, government, and civil society to address one of the most pressing global challenges: internal displacement. The event served as a platform for creating sustainable solutions that support and uplift displaced communities while unlocking economic potential.
- Global crisis: Forced displacement affects 123 million people worldwide due to persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations, natural disasters, and climate emergencies.
- Internally Displaced Populations (IDPs): IDPs outnumber refugees in most situations. There are about 63.3 million IDPs globally, with around half living in Africa. They often live in host communities with limited facilities services but great potential.
Participants explored how strategic investments and partnerships could help build strong economies, support displaced people to live with dignity, and contribute to lasting solutions.
- Innovation and leadership: Participants explored how businesses could drive economic transformation and support forcibly displaced persons through targeted investments.
- Networking and collaboration: The roundtable facilitated connections among corporate leaders, policymakers, and humanitarian partners, fostering impactful collaborations.
- Insights and knowledge: Experts shared scalable solutions and best practices for enhancing market creation in displacement-affected areas.
The roundtable will covered themes including:
- Technology sharing
- Affordable goods and services
- Job creation
- Provision of financial services.
Discussions spanned sectors including agribusiness, financial services, climate insurance, innovation, and infrastructure, with a regional focus on countries across Africa from Burkina Faso to Democratic Republic of Congo, to Mozambique to Nigeria.
Looking ahead
The 2024 Africa Roundtable marked a pivotal moment in shaping private sector engagement in internal displacement contexts. The knowledge shared, partnerships formed, and actionable plans developed during the event continue to inform and inspire ongoing efforts to support displaced communities across Africa.