FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE           
September 24, 2009                              

CONTACT: Nicole Amarteifio, CCA, (202) 263-3538,

Global Leaders Convene to Spotlight Latest Investment Opportunities in Africa

Washington, D.C.— The Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) today announced that Northrop Grumman, a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense and information systems,  is a leading sponsor of the 7th Biennial 2009 U.S. – Africa Business Summit: Realizing the Investment Power of Africa, to be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., September 29-October 1, 2009. 

"We are pleased to welcome Northrop Grumman as sponsors of the summit,” said Stephen Hayes, president and CEO of CCA.  “Northrop Grumman has proven instrumental in creating a stable investment environment in several regions in Africa.”

Last year, Northrop Grumman was selected as one of the lead contractors for the Global Peace Operations Initiative, a State Department contract to provide training for peacekeeping forces around the world.  Northrop Grumman Technical Services has also supported the African Crisis Response Initiative/African Contingency Operations Training Assistance (ACRI/ACOTA) program.  ACOTA is an initiative designed to improve Africa’s ability to respond quickly to crises by providing selected militaries with the training and equipment required to execute humanitarian or peace support operations.  Nations that have participated in the ACOTA program include Benin, Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Malawi and Senegal.

The U.S.-Africa Business Summit will provide registrants with the occasion to hear from some of the most prominent members of the Obama administration, such as:  Johnnie Carson, assistant secretary of state for Africa; Ron Kirk, United States trade representative; Neal Wolin, deputy secretary of the U.S. Treasury; and Bud Philbrook, deputy under secretary for farm and foreign agricultural services.

Several heads of state will also participate at this year’s summit: Paul Kagame, Republic of Rwanda; John Atta Mills, Republic of Ghana; Jakaya Kikwete, United Republic of Tanzania; Denis Sassou Nguesso, Republic of Congo; Teodoro Nguema Obiang, Republic of Equatorial Guinea; and Fradique de Menezes, Republic of Sao Tomé & Principe. 

Northrop Grumman joins Chevron; Exxon Mobil; Shell, Lockheed Martin; Fleishman-Hillard; Novus International; Marathon Oil Company; South African Airways; USAID; General Electric Company; Abbott Fund; Acrow Bridges; Hess Corporation; AllAfrica Global Media; IC Publications; Group Jeune Afrique; The Africa Report; EMEA Finance; News Africa U.K. Ltd; SPIntelligent; Acrow Bridges; Raytheon; SOC; Johnson & Johnson; JR Boulle Corporations; Merck & Co. Inc; Pfizer; PricewaterhouseCoopers; SEACOM;  AECOM; Africa Export-Import Bank; American Cancer Society; Boeing Company; CCA HIV/AIDS Initiative; Colgate Palmolive Company; Emerging Capitals Partners; Development Finance International; Gauteng Province; L-1 Identity Solutions; Millennium Challenge Corporation; Mars, Incorporated; Tetra Tech; MITC Investimentos; Buchanan Renewables; Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold; Africa Investor; Africa Review; FT “This is Africa”; KBR; MDCC Holdings; Motorola; Pan African Capital Group LLC; Patton Boggs LLP; SAB Miller; Standard Bank; The Africa Channel; United Bank for Africa Group; and Kingdom Zephyr Africa Management, as sponsors of the summit. 

For more information and to register for the summit, visit africacncl.org.

Working media must be credentialed to cover the summit: 09 Summit Media Credential Form.  Submit media form to: .

About Northrop Grumman 
Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide.  Northrop Grumman is defining the future with an extraordinary portfolio of capabilities, technologies and products, led by an excellent management team. From undersea to outer space and into cyberspace, they deliver innovative systems, products and solutions.  More information about Northrop Grumman is available at: www.northropgrumman.com

About The Corporate Council on Africa
Established in 1993, The Corporate Council on Africa 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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