The African Insurance Organisation (AIO) will hold its 46th conference and annual general assembly at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 8 to 13 June 2019. Each year the event attracts senior delegates from across Africa and the rest of the world to discuss and workshop the most pressing issues facing the insurance industry on the continent at the time.
Under this year’s theme – Insurance Penetration in Africa: Insuring the Uninsured – the conference will focus on insurance distribution and inclusivity across the continent. Other topical issues under discussion will include micro-insurance and the effects of climatic events (such as floods, droughts and wildfires) on the industry and the economy in general.
“We have managed to secure a number of highly regarded speakers, panellists and facilitators from all over Africa – and beyond – for this year’s conference,” says AIO vice president Delphine Traore Maidou “We have also got some quality bookings and are very happy at the rate that seats are filling up. As always, I am sure my colleagues from across the continent will network, do business and drive further cross-border collaboration.”
Thokozile Mahlangu, CEO of the Insurance Institute of South Africa (IISA) – the official host of the conference – says she is thrilled that the event will be held in South Africa this year.
“South Africa has a very active insurance community, with ties to many other countries on the continent,” she says. “With the support of SA Tourism, the organising committee is thrilled at how we will be showcasing our country – especially during this exciting election year.”
Although the event will focus primarily on Africa-specific insurance issues, many of these affect and apply to other markets around the world.
“We invite anyone who has an interest in insurance in Africa to reserve a spot by visitingwww.african-insurance.org/events,” says Mahlangu.
The African Insurance Organisation (AIO) was established in 1972 as a non-governmental organisation recognised by many African governments. It is headquartered in Cameroon.
The objectives of the organisation are to develop a healthy insurance and reinsurance industry in Africa and to promote inter-African co-operation in insurance.
The AIO lists the following as its priority areas for the future:
- Consolidating and strengthening the existing pools and associations set up by AIO
- Partnering with other organisations, notably the World Bank, UNCTAD, ILO and Access to Insurance Initiative in various capacity-building programmes
- Encouraging the development of micro-insurance
- Promoting African regulatory capacity-building
- Promoting the capacity building of African training institutes
- Promoting the management of life and pension funds for development
- Developing the AIO website into a veritable reference point for African insurance
- Promoting the African Centre for Catastrophe Risks
- Creating a pool for catastrophe risks
- Encouraging scholarly research
