Just 10 percent of the world's population lives in the U.S. and Western Europe, but these areas account for 60 percent of private consumption spending. South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, with one-third of the people on the planet, drive only 3.2 percent of consumption spending. As many as 2.8 billion people struggle to survive on less than $2 a day. Much of the developing world lacks access to banking services and credit, effectively cutting them off from the flow of global commerce. Changing this equation is not just a matter of altruism: It's an unprecedented opportunity, since developing countries also have the greatest potential to expand the ranks of consumers. This panel will examine the impact we could achieve by promoting greater global access to capital to open up new markets, add new customers, create jobs and improve standards of living.
Global Conference 2013
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair, philanthropist Bill Gates and Strive Masiyiwa of Econet Wireless discuss advancing prosperity in Africa.
