Elba, whose parents hail from Sierra Leone and Ghana, is on a mission to transform the entertainment industry in Africa. Elba aims to build film studios across Africa, starting in Zanzibar, the Tanzanian semi-autonomous island renowned for its white sand beaches. “Much of the imagery about Africa isn’t even generated from Africa,” Elba told CNN at the Stellar Development Foundation’s Meridian conference in London this week. Global players like Netflix and Disney have already made sizable investments in Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria. Still, many governments in emerging economies have yet to recognize the economic potential of the creative sector, Elba said.

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Persons: New York CNN — Idris Elba, “ Luther, ”, Elba, Samia Suluhu Hassan, “ Idris Elba, Shariff Ali Shariff, ” Elba, Goldman Sachs Organizations: New, New York CNN, Economic, Investment, CNN, Development Foundation’s Meridian, UNESCO, Global, Netflix, Disney, Economic Research, South Locations: New York, Hollywood, London, Elba, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Africa, Zanzibar, Tanzanian, Davos, NIgeria, Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Tanzania, South Korea, Busan