Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to Join South African President Thabo Mbeki in Addressing the U.S.-Africa Business Summit, November 14-16 in Cape Town, South Africa

12 September 2007
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Corporate Council on Africa (Washington, DC)
press release

Washington, D.C. — President Sirleaf , other African Heads of State and CEO's from Top U.S. Corporations to Serve as Panelists at the Opening Plenary Session of the First U.S.-Africa Business Summit in Africa

Liberian President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf will join South African President Thabo Mbeki as a speaker at The Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) U.S.-Africa Business Summit, November 14-16, 2007 at The Cape Town Convention Centre in Cape Town, South Africa, it was announced today.

President Sirleaf will serve as a panelist, with two other progressive African Heads of State and three CEO's from top U.S. corporations (to be announced in the coming weeks), at the opening plenary session of the Summit on November 15. Entitled, "What Does It Really Take for U.S. Business to Invest in Africa?," President Sirleaf and other panel members will have an open dialogue about successful U.S.-Africa business strategies, challenges and parts of the partnerships in need of improvement.

President Mbeki will deliver the keynote address at the Summit Opening Gala Dinner on November 14.

Hosted every two years, this is CCA's sixth Summit, but the first-ever to be held in Africa. More than 1,500 participants are expected to attend.

Appropriately titled "Africa: Entering the Door to Opportunities," the Summit will provide a forum for some of the world's top global business leaders to discuss trade and investment opportunities in Africa, best practices, and how best to increase trade and investment in ways that will help engender sustainable growth on the continent.

"CCA was honored to partner with the Government of Liberia to host the very successful first U.S. private sector investment forum focused on Liberia and we are pleased to welcome Her Excellency President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf as a speaker at the Summit," said CCA PRESIDENT STEPHEN HAYES. "Liberia has the potential to serve as an anchor in West Africa, and investments in its ports, rail and air infrastructure can open up a valuable entry point for U.S. companies seeking to grow their reach in the region and across the continent."

The 2007 Summit will feature business trade missions led by a diverse pool of U.S. organizations, to nearly 30 African nations. In an unprecedented offering, Summit delegates will have an opportunity to explore business prospects in an additional African country, immediately following the Summit in Cape Town.

The U.S.-Africa Business Summit will include sector-specific plenary sessions, workshops, business networking opportunities, and a two-day trade expo where businesses will showcase their products, services, and capabilities to potential buyers and customers throughout Africa. Sessions will focus on key sectors including, infrastructure development, mining, agribusiness, telecommunications, energy, transportation, and sports and tourism among numerous others.

To date, corporations including Chevron, Merck, ExxonMobil, Boeing, 3M, Cargill, General Motors, Chrysler, Hewlett-Packard, The Coca-Cola Company, Development Bank of Southern Africa, and Lazare Kaplan International; as well as media outlets including New African, African Business, Africa Investor, Corporate Africa, and Institutional Investor, have come together as sponsors of the upcoming Summit.

CCA's U.S.-Africa Business Summits have a stellar track record of attendees and high-powered workshop and plenary sessions. Former World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz, former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, President George W. Bush, South Africa President Thabo Mbeki, and many other African Heads of State have participated in past Summits.

To find out more about the upcoming Summit visit www.africacncl.org . Contact: Adina Ellis, CCA, (202) 263-3522 or aellis@africacncl.org

CCA, established in 1993, is a nonpartisan 501 (c) (3) membership organization of nearly 200 U.S. companies dedicated to strengthening the commercial relationship between the U.S. and Africa.  CCA members represent nearly 85 percent of total U.S. private sector investments in Africa. The organization is dedicated to bringing together potential business partners and to showcase business opportunities on the continent.

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