Planning for October’s Pan-African Investment Summit in Minnesota has begun.
The Pan African Business Alliance , in collaboration with the Roy Wilkins Center of the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota & the International Leadership Institute held a preparatory meeting yesterday at the Golden Valley Public Library Conference Room, to brainstorm and come up with an acceptable plan for holding the upcoming Pan-African Investment Summit in October 4-6 2007.
Joash Maangi, chairman of the organizing committee briefed the creation of different committees who will work in areas such as finance, publicity & promotion, reception, outreaching to different communities, NGO’s and so on. Organizing committee along with members of the business community also discussed the protocol and logistics related for hosting this type of conference, specifics and how each of these responsibilities has already been assigned to individuals or organizations respectively to pave the way to a successful event.
“We want to hold a world-class conference with world-class leaders” said former Judge LaJune Lange & the president of the International Leadership Institute. Lange who is also the Honorary Consul for South Africa in Minnesota updated to the members the number of countries already confirmed their participation such as Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa and so on as well as some of the businesses from Africa expected to join the conference.
On the local level, some of the guest speakers include Governor Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, the African Union Ambassador to U.S. Amina Salum Ali, South Africa & Kenya ambassadors to U.S. and the dean of the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. It is also expected to include speakers on particular topics.
Henry Ongeri, Executive Director of the Minnesota-based Pan African Business Alliance, one of the organizations sponsoring the event, expressed his organization’s commitment to the upcoming summit and its importance to the community, both in Africa and in the diaspora. He said that he already informed PABA members and is delighted that everyone came on board.
The Pan-African Investment Summit organizers hope the summit will give an opportunity for delegates from various African countries to sell investment opportunities found in their various nations, and encourage investors to consider investing in Africa. Within the last seven years, Africa has become an investment destination as investors from around the world have begun to realize the potential of the continent. The continent is filled with resources and opportunity that need the ingenuity of investors to tap into those potentials and, equally, responsible leaders who make sure the benefits to go back to the community instead of into the pockets of special interest groups.
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