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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – [November 26, 2024]

* Translated from Firjan

The Pan-African Council’s Brazil Chapter presented at the Brazil-Angola Business Connections Forum: Perspectives and Opportunities, held at the Firjan headquarters and brought together businesspeople and public authorities from both countries this November to discuss the expansion of bilateral business. Firjan CIRJ director Mauro Varejão recalled that Brazil already exports plastic, granite and other products to the African country, but that there are many opportunities to increase the flow of bilateral trade.

“We have historical and cultural ties with Angola, especially the language, which facilitates trade negotiations. Brazil was the 15th destination for Angolan exports. We have the potential to expand this flow. I hope the forum inspires many businesses,” highlighted Varejão, who is also President of the Union of Marble, Granite and Related Rock Industries of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Simagran).

The Angolan Consul General in Rio de Janeiro, Mateus de Sá Miranda, also reinforced the idea of ​​the union of the two countries due to historical and cultural ties and recalled that Brazil was the first to recognize Angola’s independence, in 1975. “Angola was an agricultural country, one of the largest producers of coffee and cotton, and became a major exporter of oil. The Angolan government has established priorities to diversify the economy. Take advantage of the opportunity to do business in Angola, which is open to all who wish to invest,” encouraged the Consul General.

Also participating in the opening were the presidents of the Union of Refrigeration, Heating and Air Treatment Industries of the State of Rio de Janeiro (Sindratar), Leonardo Salles; of the Angola-Brazil Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Tourism, Science, Technology and Culture (CCAB), Nayt Júnior; and of the Pan-African Council in Brazil, Priscilla Cadette.

The president of Sindratar pointed out that this is a crucial moment for sharing resources and culture between Brazil and Angola. “The country is one of Brazil’s largest trading partners in Africa. We want to strengthen relations, build bridges and solidify our partnership, which is already strong, in addition to creating more opportunities in sectors that are little explored but have great potential,” emphasized Leonardo Salles.

In the panel on Energy and Mining, Maria Lima, Executive Administrator of Catoca, the fourth largest open-pit diamond mine in the world, also explained the opportunities in several mining sectors, such as gold, iron, copper, oil and niobium. “Political stability is the biggest advantage of investing in Angola, and we also have tax incentives and tax exemptions for foreign companies in the country,” said the businesswoman.

Constantino Santos, 1st governor of the Province of Zaire and former Administrative Director of the Development Bank of Angola, pointed out possibilities for partnerships in oil and gas exploration, due to Brazil’s great expertise.

For Firjan SENAI SESI, Fernando Montera, manager of Oil and Gas, Energy and Naval Scenarios, presented the dynamic panel prepared by the federation, which shows the forecast of more than US$ 200 billion in projects mapped out by 2030 in this market in Rio de Janeiro.

“Regarding decarbonization, processes for converting biogas plants to biomethane are planned, among others, in the state of Rio de Janeiro. Petrobras announced that it will once again invest in ethanol production, which could generate raw material for biomethane,” explained Montera.

In the panel on the agricultural sector, real estate and business investment, Daniel Luzolo, real estate and environmental consultant, explained that the country’s administrative change has created provinces, which generates the need for infrastructure works. “In the real estate sector, there is a lack of financing, but there are some popular projects.”

Finally, Mario Amaral, Executive Administrator of Hemera Partners, listed investment opportunities in agroprocessing, livestock, tourism and transportation. “Angola borders four countries and the investor will be able to reach other markets.”

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PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nairobi, Kenya – [August 19, 2024] – The Pan-African Council and Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) are thrilled to announce the upcoming East Africa Diaspora Investment Symposium, a dynamic platform designed to catalyze investment and economic growth in the region. The event will take place on Friday, September 27th, 2024, at the DTB Centre Conference Hall in Nairobi, Kenya.

Under the theme “Empowering the African Diaspora to Accelerate Trade, Investment, and Economic Growth in East Africa,” the symposium will bring together influential stakeholders from the African diaspora, private sector, and government to explore lucrative investment opportunities across various sectors, including agribusiness, tourism, real estate, manufacturing, technology, and logistics.

Kenya, as a thriving economic hub, serves as an ideal gateway to the East African market. The symposium will provide invaluable insights into the region’s investment landscape, offering attendees the chance to connect with potential partners, access expert advice, and gain a comprehensive understanding of the business environment.

“We are excited to partner with Diamond Trust Bank on this groundbreaking initiative,” said Fabien Anthony, Chairman of the Pan-African Council. “The African diaspora possesses immense potential to drive economic development in the region, and this symposium is a crucial step in unlocking that potential.”

Through engaging panel discussions, keynote speeches, and networking opportunities, the event will address critical topics such as market entry strategies, immigration, banking services, regulatory frameworks, financing options, and talent development. Attendees will gain practical knowledge and actionable insights to facilitate their investment endeavors in East Africa. “DTB is committed to supporting the growth and prosperity of the African continent,” said Shelmith Gichuki, Diaspora Banking Relationship Manager at Diamond Trust Bank. “By partnering with the Pan-African Council, we aim to create a conducive environment for diaspora investment and contribute to the economic transformation of East Africa.”

The East Africa Diaspora Investment Symposium is open to investors, entrepreneurs, business leaders, and policymakers seeking to explore opportunities in the region.

About Diamond Trust Bank

Diamond Trust Bank (DTB) is a leading regional bank, listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE). As an affiliate of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), DTB has operated in East Africa for over seventy-five years. DTB’s focus has expanded to not only serve SME’s but also the agricultural, education and fintech sectors. The bank is also heavily investing in digital banking infrastructure to enable it strategically to increase its market penetration and offer cutting edge solutions.

About the Pan-African Council

The Pan-African Council (PAC) is the premier global leadership and strategic development organization committed to advancing and uniting Africa and her Diaspora through international cooperation in the political, economic, and social spheres.

Event Registration

To learn more and register for the symposium, please visit www.panafricancouncil.org/nairobi2024

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Media Contact:

Tatiana Mensah
media@panafricancouncil.org

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NEW YORK, NY, USA  —

The Pan-African Council is grateful to UNICEF in New York for allowing to host the second edition of the US-Africa Trade & Investment Forum on the sidelines of the 78th UN General Assembly this week.

For this edition of the Forum, the Council has partnered with the Foreign Investment Network (FIN), a United Kingdom-based company has been a key driver of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for Africa and other developing economies over the past 20 years. FIN is a consultant in Oil and Gas, agriculture, telecommunications, metallurgical & engineering industries, infrastructure, and maritime for financing, project assessment, and risk analysis.

With a keynote from President of Guinea-Bissau, H.E. Umaro Sissoco Embaló, the event consisted of high-level B2B and B2G roundtable discussions, networking functions, and deal breakout sessions with investors to unlock financing opportunities and strengthen US-Africa trade and investment. Participants will connect with high-level African government delegations, senior U.S. government officials, CEOs, and senior executives of U.S. and African companies.

Keynote Speaker

• President of Guinea-Bissau, H.E. Umaro Sissoco Embaló

Sponsoring Organizations

• UNICEF
• Pan-African Council
• FIN Magazine

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SANTIAGO DE CALI, COLOMBIA  —

Building on the inaugural edition of the Afro-Colombian Executive Business Forum this past January 13-14, 2023, the Pan-African Council alongside Empresario Afro, Universidad de Santiago, and the Howard University School of Business have organized the second edition of the forum.

This edition features two special tracks on Technology & Business Ventures as well as the Creative Economy.

Event location and venue:

Cali, Colombia / Universidad Santiago de Cali

Event date and time:

June 16, 2023 from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm; June 17, 2023 from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm

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BANJUL, THE GAMBIA  —

This Wednesday April 5th, 2023, the Honourable Demba Hydara, Pan-African Council Ambassador to The Gambia and Neighboring West African Countries, welcomed renowned Senegalese-American artist and entrepreneur, Aliou Badara Thiam, widely known as Akon, earlier today in Banjul on his presidential visit to discuss investments in country. His Excellency President Adama Barrow met with the international superstar at State House, to talk about his Akon City projects and investment potential in the region.

Akon’s Impact: Philanthropy and Promotion of Africa to the Diaspora

Akon, the American-Senegalese singer, has been making a significant impact on the African continent through his philanthropy and business ventures. He has been actively involved in various initiatives aimed at improving the lives of people in Africa, including the Akon Lighting Africa project, which aims to provide electricity to millions of people across the continent. Through his company, Akon Lighting Africa, he has installed solar panels in several African countries, providing affordable and sustainable energy solutions to underserved communities.

In addition to his philanthropy work, Akon has also been promoting Africa to the global African diaspora by showcasing the continent’s beauty and potential. He has been advocating for increased investment in Africa, highlighting the continent’s vast resources and untapped potential. Through his music and media appearances, he has been challenging the negative stereotypes often associated with Africa, and instead, highlighting the continent’s rich culture and diversity. Akon’s work in Africa and promotion of the continent to the diaspora has been instrumental in changing the narrative about Africa and inspiring others to invest in the continent’s future.

The Council commends Mr Demba Hydara in his role as a presidential advisor to the Republic of The Gambia, responsible for strategic national development priorities in health and diaspora engagement, as well as the promotion of culture, trade, and investments.

The Forum aims to supercharge Afro-Colombian businesses and create a community of Black business professionals from Colombia and beyond.

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SANTIAGO DE CALI, COLOMBIA  —

This coming Friday and Saturday January 13-14, 2023, the Pan-African Council will be co-hosting the Afro-Colombian Executive Forum in collaboration with Howard University School of Business and the Universidad Santiago de Cali in Colombia. ⁣

The Forum is an intensive program designed to develop the participants’ core business skills and provide them with the tools to succeed. This will be achieved through modules focused on the following topics:

• Historical and present context of building community wealth
• Business preparedness
• Discussion tables
• Leadership, human talent and branding
• Financial forecasting
• Networking and on-going engagement

In addition to job creation and new economic opportunities, entrepreneurship and enterprise development are essential drivers of community transformation that encourage innovation and a culture of success. We look forward to empowering the Afro-Colombian business community by creating new partnerships across the Council’s global network.⁣

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JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA  —

Chief Economist of the Pan-African Council, Osa Aihie, speaks to CNBC Africa host and award-winning financial journalist Fifi Peters on SAfm Market Update with Moneyweb regarding US-Africa relations and the outlook on trade and investment on the African continent.

Click here to listen to the episode.

The Forum aims to create a strong sustainable connection between African governments and African-American/Diaspora entrepreneurs and investors throughout the United States
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WASHINGTON D.C., USA —

The Pan-African Council will host the 2022 US-Africa Trade and Investment Forum (ATIF2022), scheduled to take place at the Kellogg Conference Hotel in Washington D.C., from December 14 to 16, 2022.

ATIF2022 will be held on the margins of the US-Africa Leaders Summit under the theme “Unlocking African Markets for Trade and Development”. The Forum aims to foster the development of strategic partnerships between the business communities in Africa and the United States with a special focus on the African diaspora, to bolster bilateral cooperation and increase engagement in trade, investment, technology, innovation, tourism, culture, and other sectors.

The event will consist of high-level B2B and B2G roundtable discussions, networking functions, and deal breakout sessions with investors to unlock financing opportunities and strengthen US-Africa trade and investment. Participants will connect with high-level African government delegations, senior U.S. government officials, CEOs, and senior executives of U.S. and African companies. Moreover, attendees will have the opportunity to engage with representatives from key agencies and discover the resources and tools to facilitate business investing in Africa.

On behalf of the public sector, His Excellency Vice President of the Republic of The Gambia, Badara Joof, will keynote the Forum and discuss how governments across the region are incentivizing key opportunities for investors, businesses, and entrepreneurs. Private sector panelist Joseph Hampanda, Managing Partner at Africa Equity Group, an Africa-focused fund and investment management firm, affirmed that “Africa’s trade and investment outlook is unmatched and the Forum couldn’t come at a better time. As the fastest growing continent in the world with the youngest population, now is the time to increase trade and investment in Africa”.

ATIF2022 is also expected to contribute to the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) from the perspective of further integrating Africa’s vast and diverse global diaspora. Panelists will discuss making effective use of the Diaspora’s capital, talent, and resources to ensure economic prosperity and inclusion, as well as leveraging entrepreneurship and investment as a catalyst for economic development.

Chairman of the Pan-African Council, Mr Fabien Anthony, highlighted, “After four centuries, the call for Africa and her Diaspora to join forces has never been greater, and so the Forum must be embraced as a historic moment to broaden cooperation and drive the increased flow of investments, know-how, products and services between our regions”.

In addition to the Council, ATIF2022 is co-managed by Afri Business Circle, Bulle Consulting, and the Global Advances Group. As part of their commitment to the Forum’s success, each respective stakeholder has pledged to sign long-term cooperation agreements with participating governments to promote strategic trade and investment initiatives.

Intending participants, including potential sponsors, can register for ATIF 2022 by visiting the event website at https://www.africatradeforum2022.com.

The event is also listed on the US State Department’s official US-Africa Leaders Summit event website.

For further information, email media@panafricancouncil.org.

 

Africa and the Caribbean unite to build a common future.

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BRIDGETOWN, BARBADOS — This past September 1-3, 2022, prominent business, political and cultural leaders from across Africa and the Caribbean gathered in Barbados for the inaugural AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum (ACTIF2022), a meeting initiated by Afreximbank, Export Barbados, and Invest Barbados with the support of the African Union, the AfCFTA Secretariat, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Caribbean Export Development Agency, the Africa Business Council, and the International Trade Centre.

The Pan-African Council joined a number of sponsors supporting the Forum’s central theme: “One People. One Destiny. Uniting and Reimagining Our Future”. The event boasted more than 1500 delegates from 90 countries of the world, including government officials, development partners, trade support institutions, investors and private sector leaders from both regions. On that account, ACTIF2022 aimed to help strengthen relations between the private sectors of the two regions to advance trade and investment.

The Hon. Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, set the tone of the Forum by delivering a gripping keynote address to an enthusiastic crowd highlighting that “Africa has been separated from the Caribbean region, not only by the Atlantic Ocean, but by centuries of few interactions, despite our shared common descent and history. Barbados, at this time, looks to Africa in pursuit of new relationships and partners with the aim of deepening engagement and cooperation with like-minded nations both bilaterally and multilaterally”.

She insisted that although African and Caribbean peoples have worked together for more than a century in the various Pan-African congresses, our political union, though essential were not sufficient “for the journey that must be made to reverse the underdevelopment of Africa and the underdevelopment of the Caribbean”. In the spirit of South-South cooperation – a concept and practice of cooperation and solidarity among regions of the global south historically disadvantaged by the world system – the Forum stressed the importance of deeper economic ties in order to fortify.

Topping the day’s agenda at ACTIF2022 are the business-to-business engagements and panel discussions on several topics, including:

• promoting trade and tourism while improving air links between the regions;
• accelerating industrialisation and manufacturing;
• developing special economic zones (SEZs) and industrial parks;
• improving infrastructure, financing and trade logistics, including regional integration;
• cooperating on health, climate change, and the energy transition;
• fomenting the conditions to accelerate private sector investment; and
• improving food security, agricultural productivity, and expanding agribusiness opportunities.

H.E. Professor Benedict Oramah, Afreximbank President and Chairman of the Board, pointed out that “both regions must forge a common front to harness several opportunities available, including the $27 trillion dollar North American markets”. Simultaneously, Secretary General of CARICOM, Dr. Carla Barnett, highlighted that the potential to do business with Africa was “tremendous” considering that the market represented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTFA) was set to reach US $6.7 trillion in value by 2035.

Fully capitalising on these prospects will entail clear objectives and targets, namely: mobilising the required resources and capabilities; establishing appropriate frameworks, institutions, and business processes; strengthening and streamlining infrastructure such as air and maritime distribution and transportation channels; mobilising all relevant stakeholders including the vast pool of bi-continental and Diaspora talent; and continuously identifying opportunities and creating awareness.

Accordingly, the strong linkages between Africa and the Caribbean based on a shared history, culture, concerns, and common sense of identity underpin the political and individual will for cooperation to fulfil the promises of the Forum. This natural congruence between the two regions have set a new bar in the battle for a more just and sustainable international social and economic order.

As a first step towards this new era of cooperation, ACTIF2022 will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the most historic events to inspire a new sense of hope, purpose, and dynamism among Caribbean and African peoples.

Africa and the Caribbean join forces in what is poised to be an exceptional and historic event to fortify political and economic ties between the two regions.

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The AfriCaribbean Trade and Investment Forum 2022 (#ACTIF_2022), slated for Bridgetown, Barbados, from September 1–3, 2022, is designed to build new trade and investment relationships between Africa and the Caribbean. The Pan-African Council is proud to sponsor a platform that will fortify the inextricable link between the two regions; our shared history, identity, and philosophy bind us to a new, positive chapter of bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

Africa’s trade and investment outlook is promising. As the fastest growing continent in the world, the Brookings Institution projects that annual spending by African consumers and businesses will reach US$6.66 trillion by 2030, a 65% increase from 2015 figures. Given the continent’s economic potential, now is the time to increase trade and investment in Africa.

ACTIF 2022 will be held under the theme “One People, One Destiny: Uniting and Reimagining Our Future”. The Forum aims to foster the development of strategic partnerships between the business communities of Africa and the Caribbean, to bolster bilateral cooperation and increase engagement in trade, investment, technology transfer, innovation, tourism, culture, and other sectors.

For more information about the Forum, kindly visit: www.actif2022.com