ATLANTA, GEORGIA – On September 6, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, will kick off its “Advance with Africa” roadshow in Atlanta at the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs, a hub for Black business owners and entrepreneurs. The roadshow, which will go on to make stops at cities across the country, is aimed at increasing U.S. businesses’ understanding of commercial opportunities in Africa, transforming the narrative around Africa’s business climate, and dispelling myths—creating new opportunities for American businesses, big and small.
Speakers, panelists, and participants will include public- and private-sector leaders, among them Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, Tanzania’s Ambassador to the United States Dr. Elsie S. Kanza, Georgia Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Chris Clark, President of the U.S. Chamber’s U.S.-Africa Business Center Scott Eisner, the U.S. Chamber’s Senior Vice President of Strategic Alliances and Outreach Rick Wade, and Atlanta-based minority business leaders and business owners.
“Strengthening U.S.-Africa ties begins on the American and African Main Streets,” said Scott Eisner. “Through discussions, engagements, and panels detailing how U.S. businesses can succeed in Africa, ‘Advance with Africa’ will increase U.S. exports and investment, educate and empower small and medium-sized enterprises, and grow commercial opportunities, making a difference from Atlanta to Africa. The roadshow’s focus on engaging diaspora communities and minority- businesses will lead to a transformation that ensures prosperity and equitable growth for Americans and Africans alike.”
“The spirit of entrepreneurialism is in our DNA as Georgians, and we’re proud that our capital city is officially kicking off this nationwide initiative from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce,” said Chris Clark, President & CEO of the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. “Africa’s population will nearly double by 2050 to 2.5 billion, presenting bold business opportunities for Georgia’s tens of thousands of small- and medium-sized businesses.”
To learn more about Advance with Africa, register to attend, or watch a livestream of the kickoff event click here. Additional cities on the roadshow will include Houston, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.
The Advance with Africa roadshow is a key component of the U.S. Chamber’s campaign to deepen the U.S. relationship with Africa in the near- and long-term: The U.S. Chamber will be engaging African leaders during September’s UN General Assembly meetings and the UN Climate Change Conference 2022, to be held in Egypt in November. In December, the Chamber will formally announce the winner of the 2022 Africa Digital Innovation Competition, which benefits innovators, entrepreneurs, and startup founders across Africa for developing digital solutions that have a positive impact on African citizens. In December, the Chamber will also be supporting the U.S.-Africa Business Forum, the official private sector component of the Biden-Harris Administration’s U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, the first state-level gathering of African leaders and a U.S. President since 2014.
