Title: Cape Town — Africa’s Creative Sector Finds a Dynamic Ally in Atlanta

Summary: The United States and Africa are placing a high value on the creative sector, with Atlanta emerging as a vibrant and thriving center for African voices to collaborate and advance. The U.S. initiative, Prosper Africa, aims to promote investments and trade relations with African countries, mobilizing private capital and changing the perception of Africa by telling its story of innovation, enterprise, and creativity.

Key Takeaways:

1. Atlanta is gaining recognition as a significant platform for African voices, including storytellers, fashion designers, and musicians, to collaborate and advance.
2. The U.S. initiative, Prosper Africa, aims to promote investments and trade relations with African countries, mobilizing private capital and changing the perception of Africa.
3. The creative sector plays a crucial role in storytelling, which binds humans together, reflecting the South African philosophy of Ubuntu: "I am because you are."
4. Atlanta’s creative ecosystem, particularly its studios, has made remarkable strides, with Tyler Perry Studios being a major contributor to this growth.
5. The panel discussion highlighted the importance of data in driving growth and transformation in the creative sector, with a need for continued transformation and inclusion, particularly in leadership roles.
6. The creative industry has tremendous potential for driving meaningful jobs and sustainable livelihoods, but there’s still a long way to go to ensure true inclusivity.

Quotes:

• "Atlanta is gaining recognition as a vibrant and thriving center, and is transforming into a significant platform for African voices, such as storytellers, fashion designers, and musicians, to collaborate and advance." – Lisa Walker, Managing Director of Africa Operations at Prosper Africa
• "This collaboration extends beyond investment and trade; it’s about people-to-people connections. The creative industries play a crucial role in storytelling, which binds us as humans." – Reuben E. Brigety II, U.S. Ambassador to South Africa
• "By developing young creators, using technology to accelerate their careers, and investing in infrastructure projects, we’re working to bring more ownership and equity into the creative economy." – Karl Carter, CEO at Snake Nation

Recommendations:

1. The African creative sector should continue to collaborate with Atlanta and other U.S. cities to promote investments and trade relations.
2. The U.S. initiative, Prosper Africa, should prioritize data-driven decision-making to drive growth and transformation in the creative sector.
3. The creative industry should focus on ensuring true inclusivity, particularly in leadership roles, to ensure that all voices are heard and represented.

Conclusion: The partnership between Africa and Atlanta is a significant step forward in promoting the creative sector and driving economic growth. As the African creative sector continues to evolve, it is essential to prioritize data-driven decision-making, inclusivity, and collaboration to ensure that all voices are heard and represented.