Cape Town, South Africa  –  Propelled by high growth and an expanding middle class, Africa has entered a new chapter in its history; its countries must change the way they relate to the rest of the world and to each other, South African President Jacob G. Zuma told more than 900 business, government and civil society leaders from 60 countries in the opening session of the 21st World Economic Forum on Africa. “You can no longer talk about the old Africa,” he declared. “We need to develop very urgently partnerships that are different from the past, relationships that benefit Africa more.” Reckoned Zuma: “If Africa is one of the fastest-growing regions and has a billion people, then we need to think differently about how we interact with the world. We also need to consider how we interact among ourselves. We need to develop a common approach to the problems of the continent.” The theme of the three-day meeting is From Vision to Action, Africa’s Next Chapter.

Africa is emerging on the global stage at a time of rapid transformation, multiplying risks and enormous opportunities. “We are in a world of velocity, change and volatility,” noted Timothy Flynn, Chairman of KPMG International. Rising fuel and energy prices and the impact of global challenges such as climate change and water scarcity are additional challenges. “We are now moving into a period where food security will be at the forefront of strategic thinking,” added Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, Chairman of the Board of Nestlé, who is a Member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum.