Spanish foreign investment in Africa must take into account the development of local communities

For Spanish foreign investment to triumph in Africa the development of local communities must be taken into account, as has been highlighted by Luis Padrón, general director of  Casa Africa who this morning took part in the meeting Responsible foreign investment  and local development, held this morning in Madrid. During the conference they analysed how to combine the business opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa, specifically in Angola, and the profits that can provided to the own investment company and for the development of local communities.

The meeting, organised by Humana Fundación Pueblo para Pueblo, has counted with the attendance of a group of representatives of companies with interests in Angola, such as Nationale Nederlanden, and foundations such as the Red Cross. The participants have followed with attention the speeches by Marcello Gandolfi, project director of the Fundación CODESPA, and Ricard Esparza, professor of economics and coordinator of international projects of the  Parc de Recerca of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), as well as Luis Padrón himself. The three have demonstrated how foreign investment, profitability, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the progress of communities make up a possible and necessary equation.