Houston's Texas-Africa Business Summit Receives Unprecedented Support

June 27, 2012 - PRLog -- Texas ranks as the nation's top exporter to Africa, selling $7.3 billion worth of goods and services to the continent in 2011, nearly double what it sold in 2005, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Potential new markets for Texas businesses exist infrastructure, transportation, energy, extractive industries, technology, health and tourism and related industries. The Summit represents an invaluable opportunity for small and medium-sized businesses to find out how to directly tap into these markets.

The International Trade Center (ITC), Ethio-American Trade and Investment Council (EATIC) and Digi Marketing International are organizing the Summit. The major theme is “Rebranding Africa: Strategic Partnerships for Economic Development.” The purpose is to bring together corporate leaders and policy makers to create shared opportunities and strengthen US-Africa relations with a focus on global business and economic development. Our mission is to initiate mutual public/private partnerships, to promote economic growth, integration and free trade. This year's summit is the much anticipated sequel event to the incredibly successful flagship event held in 2010.

"It is absolutely wonderful how much support we have for this year's event," exclaims the Summit's Founder and Chief coordinator, Mr. Gezaghen Kebede."The first event was planned and coordinated by just a few people.  This year we have the support of the US State Department, many African Ambassadors, African Consul Generals, US and African businesses and volunteers from all over the country!"

Mr. Kebede is a long-time Houston resident and native of Ethiopia.  He is a well established entrepreneur in Houston and is the Honorary Consul General of Ethiopia for the metropolitan area and also the President of the International Trade Center.  His insight and passion for identifying mutually beneficial opportunities for doing business in Africa is what motivated him to create the Summit.  Key strategic partners include the US Commercial Service, Millennium Challenge Corporation, the Texas Governor’s Office, Greater Houston Partnership, James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy Rice University, the City of Houston and FCA Corp among others. African businesses and officials from Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe have been invited to participate in panel discussions on Sustainable Investment in Africa’s Emerging Markets, Agriculture and Agribusiness, Finance and Infrastructure, Energy and Power, and Health.

This year's event is destined to build upon the highly acclaimed 2010 summit.  Participants are traveling from Georgia, Florida and even Wisconsin to take part in the conference. More significant however, is the tremendous response from local entrepreneurs. According to Jay Davis, CEO/Managing Partner of Power In Numbers,"Although I was born here in the States, my family is from the African Mende and Bassa tribes in Sierra Leone and Liberia.  I have worked very hard to help develop my fatherland" by establishing a virtuous circle of sustainable economic opportunities between the US and Africa and other countries.  The opportunity to contribute to the Continent at this level is very exciting!"

Visit the website for more information at http://www.texasafricasummit.com to learn more about who is coming and how to participate.

Photo:
https://www.prlog.org/11900833/1