Washington, DC — The Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) today announced that the United States Agency of International Development (USAID) will sponsor the 7th Biennial U.S.–Africa Business Summit: Realizing the Investment Power of Africa, to be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., September 29 – October 1, 2009.
"USAID continues to be a valued partner for CCA, having supported the past three U.S.-Africa Business Summits,” said Stephen Hayes, president and CEO of CCA. “Particularly in agribusiness, USAID spearheads initiatives crucially needed to grow Africa’s agricultural sector.”
The agribusiness track will give insight into investment opportunities in Africa’s agricultural industry, including the plenary session Improving African Agricultural Value-Chains. The track will also comprise of several key agricultural workshops, such as: Mechanisms and Opportunities for Agricultural Finance and Insurance; Strategies for Improving Farm Productivity in Africa; Agribusiness Technology Innovation and People Investment for Sustained Economic Growth; Africa, Heart of Chocolate Flavor Today – Where Will it Be Tomorrow?; The Impact of Business Climate on Food Security; Aquaculture Industry in Africa – Positioned to Attract Investment; Leveraging Technology in Sub-Saharan Africa – an Agricultural Example; and Linking African Farmers to High Value Markets.
The recent spike in international food prices has placed food security near the top of the U.S. national security dialogue. This sharpens the opportunity for investments in the food and biofuel industries in Africa. Currently, Africa is one of the world’s largest producers of raw agricultural products. Sub-Saharan Africa’s agricultural exports totaled $25.3 billion in 2006, an increase from $14.7 billion in 2000.
The U.S.-Africa Business Summit is expected to attract more than 1,500 leaders from the private and public sectors in the U.S. and Africa. The summit has a stellar track record of bringing together U.S. and African heads of state and their cabinet ministers, along with CEOs of fortune 500 companies, and heads of international organizations. In addition to an agribusiness plenary, participants will have the opportunity to attend more than 50 industry-specific sessions and workshops on other promising sectors in Africa, including infrastructure, natural resources, health, financing, power, and tourism.
Through an electronic matchmaking program, summit registrants may schedule meetings with potential partner companies by registering at: http://meetings.pgcedc.com/register.html. For more information on and to register for the 7th Biennial U.S. – Africa Business Summit, visit: www.africacncl.org. All working media must be credentialed to cover the summit. Please open the following link: 09 Summit Media Credential Form and submit media form to: summit@africacncl.org.
About The United States Agency for International Development:
The United States Agency for International Development is an independent federal government agency that receives overall foreign policy guidance from the Secretary of State. USAID’s work supports long-term economic growth, agriculture and trade; global health activities; and, democracy, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance. USAID's history goes back to the Marshall Plan reconstruction of Europe after World War Two and the Truman Administration's Point Four Program. In 1961, the Foreign Assistance Act was signed into law and USAID was created by executive order. Since that time, USAID has been the principal U.S. agency to extend assistance to countries recovering from disaster, trying to escape poverty, and engaging in democratic reforms. For more information about USAID and its programs around the world visit www.usaid.gov.
About The Corporate Council on Africa:
Established in 1993, The Corporate Council on Africa is a nonpartisan 501 (c) (3) membership organization of nearly 180 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.
