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Contact: Adina Ellis, CCA, (202) 263-3522 or
EXPERTS FROM 3M COMPANY TO SPEAK ON FACILITATING REGIONAL SECURITY IN AFRICA WORKSHOP PANEL AT THE
2007 U.S.-AFRICA BUSINESS SUMMIT, NOVEMBER 15 IN
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
3M Company Security Experts to Join Other Global Leaders from Leading American and African Companies and Government Agencies for
First U.S.-Africa Business Summit in Africa
Washington, D.C. (November 7, 2007)— Four security experts from 3M will be featured speakers during the “Facilitating Regional Security in Africa” workshop on Thursday, November 15th at The Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) 2007 U.S.-Africa Business Summit, it was announced today.
During this workshop,
Summit attendees will be able to gain knowledge of global best practices and technologies, and benefit from information on capacity-building for secure identification and efficient cross-border programs. This workshop will also explore opportunities in such programs for companies involved in business-to-government, and business-to-business activities. Interested participants can pre-register for the Summit at africacncl.org through November 7.
According to industry experts, there is an increasing need to facilitate regional security, mobility and market access through secure identification or documentation in Africa. By 2010, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) will require machine-readable passports of all travelers entering member airports. Moreover, secure travel documents support the New Partnership for Africa’s Development priorities of efficiency, accelerating intra-African trade and tourism, and of improving market access by local businesses that transport essential goods and services across regional and political borders.
”3M is very pleased to have the opportunity to share our expertise through participation in this important event,” said David Starkie, business manager, 3M Security Systems Division. He added that, "3M has more than 30 years of experience, technical innovation and strong customer focus that enables us to provide a broad spectrum of enhanced travel and border security solutions, including document issuance and border management systems.”
Hosted every two years, this is CCA’s sixth Summit, but the first-ever to be held in Africa. More than 1,000 participants are expected to attend.
Appropriately titled “Africa: Entering the Door to Opportunities,” the Summit will provide a forum for some of the world’s top global business leaders to discuss trade and investment opportunities in Africa, best practices, and how best to increase trade and investment in ways that will help engender sustainable growth on the continent.
The 2007 Summit will feature business trade missions led by a diverse pool of U.S. organizations, to several African nations. In an unprecedented offering, Summit delegates will have an opportunity to explore business prospects in an additional African country, immediately following the Summit in Cape Town. Each trade mission will feature a financing expert.
The U.S.-Africa Business Summit will include sector-specific plenary sessions, workshops, business networking opportunities, and a two-day trade expo where businesses will showcase their products, services, and capabilities to potential buyers and customers throughout Africa. Sessions will focus on key sectors including, infrastructure development, mining, agribusiness, telecommunications, energy, transportation, and sports and tourism among numerous others.
To date, corporations including Chevron, Merck, ExxonMobil, Marathon Oil, The Boeing Company, 3M, Cargill, General Motors, Chrysler, Hewlett-Packard-SA, Coca-Cola Africa, Johnson & Johnson, Development Bank of Southern Africa, and Lazare Kaplan International, JR Boulle, Oracle South Africa, U.S. Agency for International Development, South African Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, HRDI, Merck, Hess Corporation, African Wildlife Foundation, Buchanan Renewable Energies Inc., African Development Bank, Carana Corporation, Government of Mauritius, Baker Hostetler, OPIC, Commercial Services, Westinghouse; as well as media outlets including Reuters Africa, All Africa Global Media, Africa Investor, New African, African Business, Corporate Africa, Institutional Investor, The Africa Report, and Jeune Afrique have come together as sponsors of the upcoming Summit.
CCA’s U.S.-Africa Business Summits have a stellar track record of attendees and high-powered workshop and plenary sessions. Former World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz, former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, President George W. Bush, South Africa President Thabo Mbeki, and many other African Heads of State have participated in past Summits.
To find out more about the upcoming Summit, visit africacncl.org.
CCA, established in 1993, is a nonpartisan 501 (c) (3) membership organization of nearly 200 U.S. companies dedicated to strengthening the commercial relationship between the U.S. and Africa. CCA members represent nearly 85 percent of total U.S. private sector investments in Africa. The organization is dedicated to bringing together potential business partners and to showcase business opportunities on the continent.
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