The investment climate in Africa is getting hot. ‘Since the end of apartheid and with Chinese investment in Africa, you see cranes and highways because an infrastructure backbone is going up,’ said African Wildlife Foundation CEO Patrick Bergin. ‘Africa now has the world’s youngest and fastest growing population so there is a new consumer class moving into the middle market. There are lots of opportunities.’ Africa is increasingly seen as a viable, attractive growth opportunity by the rest of the world, which is welcomed by African states who desire modernity and increased quality of life. Chinese investment in particular has been a ‘game changer’ for African infrastructure, according to Bergin, particularly because Chinese investors see the continent as rich compared with the western perception as poor. ‘The Chinese are agnostic, they will go into any country whether it is English, French or Portuguese speaking,’ said Bergin. ‘They don’t care about the religion of the people or the sector. Any time they see an opportunity, they are willing to exploit it.’ The African Wildlife Foundation has established African Wildlife Capital to encourage impact investing in the continent. The fund looks to capitalize entrepreneurs and companies at the interface of conservation and business success. The key to Africa’s economic future is balancing conservation with development. In Bergin’s view, Africa’s premiere asset, wild lands, can and should be developed in harmony with conservation goals depending on timing and usage. He said external threats like hunting and poaching demonstrate the need for greater conservation efforts. In Bergin’s view, Africa’s size make it possible to develop the land while maintaining its majesty. ‘If we are thoughtful about where things happen then there should be space for livable cities, productive farmlands and even manufacturing and it should still be possible to have the Serengeti, the Kalahari and the great wildlife landscapes of the continent,’ said Bergin.
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