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Contact: Adina Ellis, CCA, (202) 263-3522 or
EXPORT-IMPORT BANK CHAIRMAN AND PRESIDENT JAMES H. LAMBRIGHT TO ADDRESS 2007 U.S.-AFRICA INFRASTRUCTURE CONFERENCE
2nd Annual Conference to Engage Key Stakeholders in
Infrastructure Development in
Africa
Washington, DC (September 10, 2007)—James H. Lambright, Chairman and President of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank), will provide remarks during the “Financing” plenary session and “Supply Chains” workshop as part of The Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) 2007 U.S.-Africa Infrastructure Conference, it was announced today.
The 2nd annual U.S.-Africa Infrastructure Conference will be held at the Grand Hyatt in Washington, D.C. from October 8-10, 2007.
Ex-Im Bank is the official export credit agency of the United States, dedicated to assisting in financing the export of U.S. goods and services to international markets and by doing so help create and sustain U.S. jobs. With more than 70 years of experience, they have supported more than $400 billion of U.S. exports produced by American workers, primarily to developing markets worldwide.
President George W. Bush elevated Lambright to Chairman and President in July 2005 from his position as the Bank’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. Lambright joined Ex-Im Bank in 2001 from Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation in Los Angeles, where he was Vice President of private equity.
“Ex-Im Bank is fully committed to helping U.S. exporters build their business in sub-Saharan Africa. We know that this region offers great opportunities,” said Lambright. “The challenge is to help expose more African buyers to the financing available with Ex-Im Bank participation, and to help more U.S. companies identify those sales opportunities.”
Aptly titled “Building on Stability,” this year’s conference will highlight successful projects and financing options for investors looking to enter the field of infrastructure development in the numerous emerging markets in Africa.
Benefiting from the success of last year’s conference, CCA reports registration numbers for this year’s event continue to climb. Participants can take advantage of discounted registration rates through August 24, 2007 at africacncl.org.
A key aspect of this year’s conference will be the increased focus on risk management in Africa. Experts will discuss best practices, and strategies to minimize risks. In addition, business opportunities in key growth sectors including water, security, energy, roads and rails, transportation, as well as information and communications technology (ICT), will be highlighted.
To date, event sponsors include the U.S. Agency for International Development, U.S. Department of Transportation, Raytheon Company, DynCorp International, General Electric, Global Strategies Group, OPIC, African Business and New African magazines, All Africa Global Media, and Times Publications.
The private sector invested over $4.5 billion in infrastructure in Africa in 2005, according to a 2006 annual report of the Infrastructure Consortium on Africa. Almost 75% was invested in mobile telephony, but some countries also received investments from Independent Power Producers (IPPs), and from concessionaires taking over the management of rails, ports, and power distribution. China has committed to lending $5 billion to various African countries over the next three years, mostly for infrastructure investments.
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. Visit CCA’s website at africacncl.org for up-to-date information on the organization and upcoming events.
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