The Prime Minister hosted the UK-Africa Investment Summit in London.
African leaders have lobbied the UK for greater market access after Brexit in the hope Britain will turn away from Europe.
Nigeria’s president called for more emphasis on the Commonwealth while the leader of Kenya said Britain has a “renewed mandate” for closer links to Africa after leaving the EU.
Boris Johnson suggested African migrants and investors would find it easier to come to the UK in future as he welcomed leaders to a summit in London when firms signed £6.5bn worth of deals.
The contracts announced at the UK-Africa Investment Summit included a deal to sell Airbus planes to Egypt, a large investment in Kenya by Tullow Oil and Baker Hughes agreeing to build deep-sea equipment in Mozambique.
‘People before passports’
Several leaders suggested that Brexit would prove an opportunity for their countries to become closer to the UK. Muhammadu Buhari, the president of Kenya, said: “Now with the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth’s largest economy, no longer obliged to ringfence its economy with tariffs, this mission will be given a jolt of vitality.”
Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya added: “There is probably no better time for African nations and the United Kingdom to explore new and innovative ways of deepening the long-standing partnerships that have existed between our nations.”
Rwanda’s leader Paul Kagame launched a $40m bond on the London Stock Exchange, while British ministers announced they were issuing a “sukuk” bond which complies with Islamic lending law.
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Delivering the opening speech at the conference, Mr Johnson said: “Change is coming and our system is becoming fairer and more equal between all our global friends and partners, treating people the same, wherever they come from. By putting people before passports, we will be able to attract the best talent from around the world, wherever they may be.”
He promised to open up Britain’s markets to African products such as beef from Uganda, adding: “We want to build a new future as a global free-trading nation, that’s what we will be embarking on on 31 January.”
Human rights groups have criticised the UK Government for embracing autocratic leaders such as President Sisi of Egypt at the two-day summit.
inews.co.uk
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