New York — The presidents of Liberia, Mozambique and Tanzania participated in a historic program at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) this past Friday. The event was organized by the Corporate Council on Africa and the NYSE to honor the commitment of each of the presidents' efforts to promote trade and investment opportunities in their countries.

The program began with a private meeting between the presidents and the NYSE Chief Executive Officer, Mr. John Thain. In that meeting the presidents discussed economic conditions in their respective countries and the opportunity for a "training program" at the NYSE for traders from African countries. Mozambique and Tanzania have stock exchanges, while President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf said that she hoped to establish a stock exchange in Liberia in the longer-term. Thain remarked that he was open to building relationships with African countries. He also said that he was pleased to be part of the historic meeting. This was the first time in the exchange's history that three heads of state had participated in a bell ringing ceremony.

After the ringing of the closing bell; the presidents were presented with a gift from the NYSE and also signed the exchange's guestbook. The visit underscored Africa's rising importance in the global economy. It also helped showcase Africa and African opportunities to a U.S. investment audience.

This is the second time that CCA and the NYSE have worked together to promote Africa in the U.S. CCA's Acting Vice President of Programs, Ambassador Joseph Huggins, who organized this historic event, also orchestrated Botswana's President Festus Mogae's ringing of the closing bell at the exchange in 2005.