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About WAIBL

What is WAIBL? One of The Corporate Council on Africa's most successful programs is the West Africa International Business Linkage Program (WAIBL). WAIBL, a USAID funded program, focuses on increasing commercial partnerships between businesses in the US and West Africa. These relationships can take many forms including export/import agreements, joint ventures, and equity partnerships. WAIBL focuses primarily on the ECOWAS region.

WAIBL Results:

To date, WAIBL has assisted in facilitating transactions (import/export or joint venture partnerships) totaling more than $US 75 million

• The U.S. Export-Import Bank has approved 36 WAIBL transactions in Ghana, Mali, The Gambia and Senegal valued at more than US$36 million. 70 transactions secured competive financing without a loan guarantee.

• American companies have signed memorandums of understanding with West African governments and private companies in the housing and telecommunications sectors.

• Using the WAIBL program, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, and Senegal have attracted American partners and investment for the textile, IT, and transportation sectors.

• More than 1200 companies have participated in the WAIBL business forums.

How can WAIBL assist your company:

For American companies:

• Identify trade and investment opportunities in West Africa.
• Assist in the identification of financing, including private and US government programs.
• Screen qualified African companies for business partnerships based on your criteria.
• Steer US companies to key West African government contacts and programs, and other sources of information for doing business in West Africa.

For African companies:

• Identify US partners, suppliers of equipment, technology, or services for West African businesses as well as buyers of West African goods benefiting from AGOA, the African Growth Opportunity Act.
• Assist in the identification of financing, including private and US government programs.
• Screen qualified American companies for business partnerships based on your criteria.
• Direct African companies to key US government and private sector contacts, and other sources of information for doing business with the United States.
  

U.S.-Africa Business Forums: A key component of the WAIBL program is a series of business forums, primarily sector-specific, held in the U.S. and West Africa to bring together West African and American business representatives to identify and initiate commercial partnerships. Recent WAIBL forums have focused on the agriculture, infrastructure, and shea butter industries. Currently, WAIBL is planning for its IT/Telecom conference series scheduled for early 2004.

Go to the WAIBL Website

Enter WAIBL Trade Lead Database System

Information: Sasha Resnick, WAIBL Program Manager (sresnick@africacncl.org).
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WAIBL Brochure