The ICF is an independent trust with strong African representation on the Board of Trustees. It provides a mechanism through which the private sector, the G8 countries, other donors and African governments and institutions can support Africa's vision for sustainable growth and development.

Executive Leadership

ICF Chief Executive Omari Issa has extensive business experience in the public and private sectors, in Africa and abroad.  He was previously Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of Celtel International in the Netherlands where he oversaw Celtel operations in thirteen African countries.  He joined Celtel in 2000 as Senior Vice President, Business Development, and was instrumental in its growth across Africa.  Prior to that Omari spent fourteen years with the IFC and six years with the World Bank. During this time he reviewed and appraised telecommunications projects in several countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America.  He began his career in Africa working for the East African Posts and Telecommunications Corporation, where he rose to Deputy Chief Engineer and Chief of Long & Short Term Planning.  In late 2006 he established a fully funded education foundation which will support girls from secondary school to graduation from well recognized universities.  Omari is a Tanzanian citizen and holds a BSc (Honours) from the Polytechnic of Central London as well as an MBA from Columbia University, New York.

• Message from ICF Co-Chair Niall FitzGerald KBE

'The ICF can have an immediate and sustained impact on Africa's future growth and development. I am delighted to have the opportunity to help get it started. If Africa becomes an easier and more attractive place in which to invest, everybody will benefit: business, government, and - most importantly - the people of Africa.'

• Message from ICF Co-Chair Benjamin Mkapa, former President of Tanzania

'This new and exciting facility will act on key obstacles to doing business in Africa. Through it, we hope to generate and shape policies – nationally and regionally – to make Africa more attractive to domestic and foreign investment, while fighting negative images of the continent.  I have great hopes for the ICF and I urge all development partners and big companies with long term interest in Africa to rally around it and support it in practical terms.  Africa is poor, but potentially rich: rich in terms of its natural resources, and rich in terms of the latent entrepreneurship and remarkable resilience of its people.  Obstacles facing Africa include an inappropriate business environment, infrastructure, barriers to competition, customs procedures and taxation, bureaucratic red tape and image issues.  Together we can remove the obstacles that stand in the path to Africa's prosperity.'

• Message from Chief Executive of the NEPAD Secretariat Firmino Mucavele

'The ICF is a good example of partnership between Africa and the developed countries, and between governments and the private sector. The ICF will accelerate the implementation of NEPAD and the African Union. We are pleased to be part of this important initiative.'