- The partnership comes ahead of US president Joe Biden’s upcoming US-Africa leaders’ summit in Washington DC scheduled for December 13-15, 2022
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The US-Africa leaders’ summit will underscore the importance of US-Africa relations and increased cooperation on shared global priorities
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Among the issues to be discussed are mitigating the impact of COVID-19 and future pandemics and working collaboratively to strengthen regional and global health
- Scott Eisner, the president of the Chamber’s US-Africa Business Center, explained that they would prioritise a strong investment relationship with Africa to unlock unlimited opportunities
The United States (US) Chamber of Commerce and the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) have partnered to support the Africa Business Forum.
The partnership comes ahead of US president Joe Biden’s upcoming US-Africa leaders’ summit in Washington DC scheduled for December 13-15, 2022.
US Vice President Kamala Harris gave her assurance when she appeared virtually at CCA’s US-Africa Business Summit in Morocco. The conference was held from Tuesday, July 19, until Friday, July 22, when it was closed.
The US-Africa leaders’ summit will underscore the importance of US-Africa relations and increased cooperation on shared global priorities.
According to Statista, the US exports to Africa in 2021 amounted to approximately US$ 26.67 billion.
On the other hand, the US imported goods worth US$ 37.6 billion from Africa, with a deficit at US$10.8 billion.
Scott Eisner, the president of the Chamber’s US-Africa Business Center, explained that they would prioritise a strong investment relationship with Africa to unlock unlimited opportunities in the two regions.
“The Chamber knows firsthand how important it is that a strong business component be central to the Summit, given the power of trade and commerce to unlock innovation, partnerships, and empowered workforces, enabling governments and businesses to work together to better confront the world’s most pressing challenges.
The Chamber looks forward to partnering with the Administration and CCA to advance the Africa Business Forum agenda, which we hope will be a fulsome step towards stronger US economic engagement with Africa,” Eisner said in a statement.
CCA president and chief executive officer Florizelle Liser said the forum allowed over 2,200 participants to network.
“CCA looks forward to partnering with the US Chamber to jointly convene the private sector as part of the Summit’s Africa Business Forum, which will help drive progress towards a trade and investment relationship that unlocks opportunity and growth for both the U.S. and Africa,” Liser said.
The US-Africa Leaders Summit will build American and African shared values and hopes to foster new economic engagement. It will also reinforce the two regions’ commitment to democracy and human rights. Among the issues to be discussed are mitigating the impact of COVID-19 and future pandemics and working collaboratively to strengthen regional and global health.
Climate change is another matter of concern that needs a response by respective governments. Nevertheless, Biden said he was hopeful the summit would be a success.
“I look forward to working with African governments, civil society, diaspora communities across the United States, and the private sector to continue strengthening our shared vision for the future of US-Africa relations,” he said in a statement released by The White House.
The 2021 summit was attended by over 1,200 participants representing 65 countries. Among the attendees were six African heads of state, 22 senior African officials, and three US government Cabinet-level officials. Others were 12 senior US government officials and global business across different investment sectors.
Morocco had in 2020 been selected by the CCA Board of Directors to host the conference, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In related news, Russian authorities are gearing up to hold the second African leaders’ summit in St. Petersburg scheduled for early November 2022. The St. Petersburg meeting will focus on enhancing constructive cooperation and advancing integration processes.
Foreign ministers of Russia and three African countries—the current, future, and previous chairpersons of the African Union—will meet for annual consultations. The gathering, as expected, will focus on enhancing further constructive cooperation and advancing integration processes within the framework of the African Union and several sub-regional structures.
