“Ethiopia is an example of many African countries who have gained sufficient economic momentum to begin to really tackle their social issues like poverty through trade instead of aid, which increases their voice in global governance. This is a new geopolitical dynamic to which Western governments have to adapt and some have found difficulty in doing so. However, for businesses looking for new markets, opportunities abound and the doors are open,” Lauri Elliott, Director of Afribiz Media, a partner for CABW 2012.
Scheduled to take place from April 24th to 28th, The Charlotte Africa Business Week (CABW) 2012 will connect Charlotte with business opportunities in Africa, with a focus on doing business in Africa’s most populous countries. It will bring together stakeholders in the private, academic and social sectors in Charlotte and across Africa. It will also create a basis for energizing the African diaspora in the area to work more collectively to create bridges between Africa and the United States.
Organizing partners for the conference include, Ecobank, the anchor sponsor; the Global Business Roundtable (GBR); Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PACCI), an umbrella chamber of commerce organization for chambers across Africa and based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Afribiz, a division of Conceptualee, Inc.; and University of North Carolina Charlotte’s (UNCC’s) Africana Studies Department.
In several countries in Africa, the middle class is growing faster and has greater purchasing power than the middle class in China or India. Also, seven of the fastest growing economies (Ethiopia, Mozambique, Zambia, Tanzania, Ghana, Nigeria, Congo) in the world for the next five years are in Africa, according to The Economist. The Economist expects the Africa region to overtake the Asia region in growth within five years.
The schedule includes:
- Tuesday, April 24 – A one-day workshop, “Going Global in Africa,” designed for local SMEs, entrepreneurs, faculty, and students about practical strategies and tactics for doing business in Africa will be held. The workshop is being hosted by the University of North Carolina Charlotte Africana Studies department.
- Wednesday, April 25 –The Global Business Roundtable USA and Global Fund for Christ launch dinner is scheduled for this day.
- Thursday, April 26 – Key industry and society meetings (closed to public) covering areas, such as banking/finance, energy, healthcare, and urban planning, will be held. The day will also include business-to-business meetings between Charlotte and African firms.
- Friday, April 27 – The one-day conference, “Doing Business in Fast-Growing Africa: A Focus on Regional Markets and Economic Hubs,” will be held for the general public.
- Saturday, April 28 – The one-day workshop, “Building Sustainable Prosperity in Africa,” for ministries, NGOs, and kingdom entrepreneurs to develop sustainable programs in Africa while embedding economic development into African communities they serve.
For further information, call Darlene Tolbert at 704.819.3333 or email [email protected]. Visit http://www.charlotteafrica.com.
