The Chief Executive of Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) Mr Oscar Onyema has been re-elected as the President of the African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA), the re-election was at the association 20th Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Kigali Rwanda. Also Mr Karim Hajji Chief Executive Officer of Casablanca Stock Exchange was re-elected as deputy President. The re-election of Oscar Onyema and Karim Hajji follows a term of two years since their first appointment in 2014.
The AGM was attended by sixteen member exchanges and two Associate Members, other officers constituting the new ASEA Executive Committee for the next 2 year term include, Mr. Geoffrey O. Odundo, Chief Executive Officer of Nairobi Securities Exchange, Ms. Zeona Jacobs, Director Marketing and Corporate Affairs Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), Mr. Edoh Kossi Amenounve, Chief Executive Officer Bourse Regionale des Valeures Mobilieres, Mr. Mohammed Omran, Chief Executive Officer Egyptian Exchange, Mr. Thapelo Tsheole, Chief Executive Officer Botswana Stock Exchange and Mr. Pierre Ekoule, Chief Executive Officer Douala Stock Exchange.
Commenting on his re-election, Onyema thanked the Association for the support he had received during his past tenure as President of the Association and for entrusting him with the leadership of ASEA for yet another term. I am grateful to my fellow Executive Committee Members, for the support and dedication shown to me and to ASEA. I humbly accept this new challenge and I look forward to further delivering on the promise of the Association in the two years ahead; On his part the Deputy President, Mr. Hajji remarked that, A lot of good work has been done by the Executive Committee, the Members and the Secretariat of ASEA in the last two years and I look forward to the next two years in propelling ASEA forward. The official opening of the 20th Annual ASEA Conference kicked off on November 28, 2016 at the Serena Hotel, in Kigali.
The Conference themed; Road to 2030: Making the Capital Markets Relevant to the Real Economy will seek to address the direct impact of the stock market on the livelihood of the African citizens. In his opening remarks during the officiating ceremony, Onyema noted that the theme of this year Conference couldn’t be timelier in light of the prevailing economic headwinds; it provides us with an opportunity to deliberate on the appropriate responses to the challenges facing us as African economies.
Dignitaries in attendance at the opening ceremony were the Right Honorable Prime Minister of Rwanda, Anastase Murekezi, several cabinet ministers including the Minister of Finance, Claver Gatete, Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda, Hon John Rwangomba, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Kingsley Moghalu and the Chairman of the Rwanda Stock Exchange, Dr. James Ndahiro.
The Conference has lined up a series of seasoned speakers who will engage the delegates from over 30 countries in robust discussions for the two days Conference. Some of the speakers, include Mrs. Nonkululeko Nyembezi-Heita, the Chairlady of the JSE, Mr. Tonye Cole, Founder of Sahara Group, Ms. Staci Warden, Executive Director, Milken Institute and Chair of Capital Market Authority (CMA) Rwanda, Sandy Frucher, Vice Chairman of Nasdaq and Mr. Paul Muthaura, CEO CMA Kenya, among others.
The African Securities Exchanges Association is the premier Association of the twenty-six securities exchanges in Africa who have come together with the aim of developing member Exchanges and providing a platform for networking. ASEA was established in 1993 and works closely with its members to unlock the potential of the African Capital Markets Vision To enable African Securities Exchanges to be key significant drivers of the economic and societal transformation of the year 2025.