New York, 23 June 2015 - With a population of over 370 million, the Great Lakes region of Africa represents an increasingly educated, youthful, fast growing, and urbanized middle class segment of the continent’s population, providing over US $200 billion purchasing power and a substantial market. Thus, Africa’s Great Lakes countries are not only a reservoir of labour, they are also increasingly providing effective demand and high returns on investment, mainly in seven key sectors: Agriculture; Energy; Finance; Information, Communication and Technology (ICT); Infrastructure; Mining and Tourism. This observation was highlighted by the United Nations Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region, Said Djinnit, at the Second Business for Peace Annual Event that took place in New York on 23 June 2015, under the theme of “Building Peace, Realizing Sustainable Development”.