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Cape Town Conversation


Cape Town | November 24-26, 2023

On November 24-26, ORF America and Observer Research Foundation (ORF), as the Secretariat of the Think20 (T20), in partnership with the Thabo Mbeki Foundation hosted the Cape Town Conversation in Cape Town, South Africa. The conference brought together delegates from over 40 countries to discuss, ideate and debate the most pressing challenges for Africa and the world. These included: achieving just green transition, women-led development, future of multilateralism, and digital transformation for development. Cape Town Conversation will serve as an annual South Africa-based platform that brings together key stakeholders and new voices. It is designed as a common platform where established and emerging actors convene for a global conversation on contemporary issues of global governance.

Speakers included:

  • H.E. Ellen Sirleaf Johnson, Former President, Liberia

  • H.E. Thabo Mbeki, Former President, South Africa

  • H.E. Mohammed Nasheed, Former President, Maldives

  • H.E. Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, South Africa

  • Ebtesam Al-Ketbi, President and Founder, Emirates Policy Center, UAE

  • Samir Saran, Chair, T20 India Secretariat & Member, T20 India Core Group; President, Observer Research Foundation, India

  • Luciana Servo, President, Institute of Applied Economic Research, Brazil

  • Anil Sooklal, BRICS Sherpa and Ambassador at Large for Asia and BRICS, South Africa

See below the Digital Public Infrastructure Panel Discussion with ORF America’s Dr. Anit Mukherjee as a speaker: