THE US-AFRICA BUSINESS SUMMIT

 June 24-27, 2003

 Washington, DC

Once every two years, the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) convenes the premier gathering in the United States of business and government leaders who are united by their shared commitment to promoting trade and investment between the U.S. and Africa.

The fourth U.S.-Africa Business Summit was held from June 24-27 at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington D.C. The summit’s theme was “Building Partnerships.”

The goal of the 2003 Summit was to facilitate export/import trading, identify agents, representatives and distributors, explore joint venture partnerships and strategic alliances, and to promote foreign direct investment in Africa.

The format of the event provided participants with the opportunity to interact with the African private sector, the American private sector, and African and U.S. government leaders. As in past years, the Summit attracted a number of African heads of state and prime ministers as well as senior-level U.S. government officials.

The 2003 U.S.-Africa Business Summit helped advance, in tangible terms, our common ambition of strengthening trade and investment ties between the United States and Africa.

Sector-Specific Workshops

The 2003 Summit featured an expanded focus on various sectors, including agribusiness, information technology, infrastructure projects, health care, renewable energy and power, as well as oil and gas. The addition of smaller businesses from Africa and the US  helped broaden business opportunities between Africa and the US, and raised awareness of Africa within the US business community. CCA identified qualified African companies for potential business matches with companies from across the US. An intensive series of workshops was offered under three broad headings: the industry sectors mentioned above, small and medium businesses, and an overview of countries and major projects in Africa with significant investment potential.

Policy Forum

All participants in the 2003 Summit had the opportunity to be part of an unprecedented opportunity to explore, learn and profit in Washington, DC. With a number of Heads of State from Africa and Cabinet level participation from the US government, the Summit also provided a high-level forum for decision-makers in the area of economic and trade policy.

Venue

The Summit’s main venue was the Washington Hilton & Towers located at 1919 Connecticut Avenue. Washington, DC is served by three major airports including: Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which is located just minutes from downtown Washington D.C.; Washington Dulles International Airport, located 45020 AVIATION Drive in Sterling, Virginia (ground transportation is available to nearby metro stations) and Baltimore Washington International Airport located in Maryland (Express Metro Bus, Train and Taxi Service is available from BWI to Washington, DC).

Updates & Additional Information

Please visit our website regularly to obtain additional information on CCA’s U.S.-Africa Business Summit. If you have any questions, please e-mail summit@africacncl.org  summit@africacncl.org

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