AfSAE Virtual Africa Association Summit (AAS2)

Civil Society Organizations are poised to play a critical role in the socio-economic recovery of African countries. Beyond holding governments accountable in the recovery strategies, they are setting out, CSOs are will be expected to amplify the voices the marginalized and vulnerable communities especially the youths and women to ensure that they are not disadvantaged by recovery plans.
This panel consisting of Africa’s foremost civil society leaders dissects the critical role African CSOs will play in the post covid-19 recovery.
Panelists:
EACSOF
WACSOF
SADC-CNGO
North Africa?

The pandemic has caused associations to realize that they need three essential elements to be able to cope and remain sustainable as mission-driven and member-serving organizations. From the perspective of the speaker who has over 29 years of experience as an association executive, maintaining relevance, nurturing relationships, and having ample resources are minimum traits of a successful association.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic presents the meetings industry with a major and evolving challenge. The industry is currently one of the hardest-hit by the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, with impacts on both travel supply and demand. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development forecasts the tourism sector worldwide could face an output decrease as high as 80-90%, and according to UNWTO in early May 100% of destinations worldwide imposed COVID-19 travel restrictions. Research by WTTC already shows the sector is facing more than 100 million job losses worldwide, at a cost of up to US$ 2,7 trillion of GDP. Kenya has not been spared and has suffered greatly as well. The Kenyan Tourism Industry has so far lost 80 billion shillings ($752 million) in revenue, since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus in the country, in mid-March this year.
Events Professionals continually urge their Governments to reopen the sector, underlying the fact that conventions, conferences, exhibitions and meetings are not generic ‘mass gatherings’ but organized industry professional gatherings, that have health and safety measures in place to provide the right environment for people to meet, and with access to participant lists for easy tracking and tracing if required. In this session, the Kenya National Convention Bureau (KNCB) will highlight the actions taken by the Kenya government in consultation with the private sector to accelerate the sector’s safe reopening and recovery.
A positive rebound in the MICE sector is predicted by the Joint Meetings Industry Council and even thought to be the fast track channel to global recovery as long as Governments and the private sector collaborate to ensure that the industry is fit to deliver.

Gaining Edge

The “African Perspectives on the Meetings, incentives,
conferences and exhibitions Industry Report industry report 2020” presents the survey findings of Niche Partners of the Meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) industry. The aim of the report is to present sample findings of the growth expectations, concerns and opportunities expected by the suppliers in the MICE industry in Africa.

The research was conducted using a qualitative survey and provides insights of meetings professional participants in different parts of Africa, particularly reflecting on the impact and expectations of the COVID-19 pandemic on the MICE industry. The sample size survey was completed by suppliers in the Meetings, Incentives, Conference and Events industry in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania and Rwanda.

Assn Technology – More Critical Than Ever
Eric Schmidt – Co-Founder & CEO
Glue Up (formerly Event Bank)

Dr. Alex Granger
THINKSHIFTER | GLOBAL SPEAKER | LIFE COACH | AUTHOR

Where Do We Go From Here?