The 7th Africa Public Private Partnership Conference in London provides an unparalleled opportunity for global executives, African government officials, PPP experts and financiers to meet with one another, share knowledge and discuss bankable and sustainable PPP projects.

PPPs have become the favoured tool for tackling the infrastructure deficit across Africa. They allow governments to partner with the expertise and capital from the private sector, and share reward and risk. If done properly, PPPs are a mechanism that will facilitate the major, complex projects and help catapult African countries into an era of economic take-off.

The African Development Bank - a principle sponsor of this year's Conference - has recognised that Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) have emerged over the last decade as one of the best ways to foster development. In 2014, the AfDB approved a total of US$1.59 billion in financing for PPPs, the Bank will attend the conference to discuss their continued involvement in African PPPs, not just as a vehicle for infrastructural development, but a source of social and regional integration.

In addition, the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), another major sponsor this year, has in the past five years taken an increasingly keen interest in PPPs as a viable business module and strategic investment vehicle. They will discuss the success of the South African REIPPPP, lessons learnt and how that can be transferred to the rest of the continent and other infrastructure sectors.

Against this backdrop, in addition to contributions from top PPP officials from governments across the continent and presentations from senior private sector figures and multilateral institutions, there will be specific PPP country presentations from:

• Stanley Kamau, Head PPP Unit, National Treasury, Kenya
• Magdalene Apenteng, Director of Public Investment, Ministry of Finance, Ghana
• James Aiello, Senior Project Advisor PPP, National Treasury, South Africa

Drawing on the assembled top-flight expertise, the Conference provides an unmatched forum for knowledge sharing around the complex challenges associated with PPPs. Among the sessions there will be specific focuses on energy and infrastructure, in-depth discussion of the latest regulatory developments, a session on infrastructure as an emerging asset class, and social PPPs.