Laying the Groundwork for Jobs in Africa

The conference on 'Laying the Groundwork for Jobs in Africa: Core Infrastructures & Business Environment' is being held in Rome at Palazzo Koch, Italy. Creating jobs where young people live is now an economic and strategic imperative. Over the next 10–15 years, 1.2 billion people will reach working age in developing countries—yet only 400 million jobs are expected to emerge. Italy’s leadership under the Mattei Plan, and the World Bank’s jobs-first approach, share a common view: regulatory clarity is a key multiplier that turns infrastructure into productive assets and allows capital to move with confidence. Because political and economic realities ultimately determine what can realistically move forward, effective reforms need to work with existing incentives and engage actors who can drive steady, practical progress. This event aims to bring that message to life—through evidence, practical experience, and direct testimony from investors who have seen firsthand what unlocks investment and what stalls it. The event featured Fabio Panetta, Governor of Banca d'Italia, Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of the Italian Republic, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President of the Republic of Singapore, and Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group. CHAPTERS 00:00 Video: Mufasa The Poet 03:50 Host sets the stage 06:22 Fabio Panetta, Governor, Banca d’Italia 14:01 Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President, Republic of Singapore 26:13 Ajay Banga, President, World Bank Group 41:36 Paschal Donohoe, Managing Director and Chief Knowledge Officer, World Bank Group 57:02 Video: Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria 1:00:01 PANEL 1 - REGULATORY ENVIRONMENTS THAT UNLOCK INVESTMENT AT SCALE • Eric Opoku, Minister for Food and Agriculture, Republic of Ghana • Alvaro Lario, President, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) • Denis Minev, Chief Executive Officer, Bemol 1:21:32 PANEL 2 - FOUNDATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND SKILLS THAT ENABLE JOB CREATION • James Mwangi, Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Equity Group Holdings Plc. • Nonkululeko Nyembezi, Chairperson, Standard Bank Group • Claudio Descalzi, Chief Executive Officer, Eni S.p.A. (ENI) • Sidi Ould Tah, President, African Development Bank Group 1:39:01 Video: Sierra Leone 1:44:17 Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of the Italian Republic 💬 Use (CC) to translate captions into AI-generated subtitles in your preferred language. ABOUT US 🌐 The World Bank Group (WBG) is one of the world’s largest sources of funding and knowledge for low-income countries. Its five institutions share a commitment to reducing poverty, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable development on a livable planet. http://www.worldbank.org WORLDBANK.ORG/LIVE 🔔 Sign up to receive updates about upcoming events: http://wrld.bg/cxHK50W56x3 ▶️ Watch past events: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCE9mrcoX-oE-2f1BL-iPPoQ/streams/streams