Grammy Award Singer Angelique Kidjo will serve as Honorary Co-chair of AAI’s 2016 Annual Awards Gala — one of the most anticipated and high profile events celebrating African achievement — on Tuesday, September 20, at Cipriani 25 Broadway in New York City.
The gala theme is “Education: The Key to Africa’s Economic Growth”.
Held annually during the United Nations General Assembly, hundreds of distinguished U.S. and African leaders and top diplomats will gather for the evening affair. The gala will begin with a reception at 7:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 8:30 p.m.
The 2016 Honorees are Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive of the Dangote Group with the AAI 2016 Distinguished African Business Leader Award; Stephen Hayes, President and CEO of the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA), with the AAI 2016 Distinguished U.S.-Business Leader Award; and Sunil Benimadhu, Executive Director of the Stock Exchange of Mauritius (SEM), with the AAI 2016 Distinguished Alumnus Award.
The Awards Gala will unveil awards for African nations that are championing greater access to education at all levels, leading to a stronger workforce and an acceleration in job creation and economic growth.