West Africa International Business Linkages (WAIBL)

May 15, 2000: WAIBL sponsors business forums in Senegal, Mali, and Côte d'Ivoire

CCA's West Africa International Business Linkages (WAIBL) program extended its reach into West Africa and conducted the second in its series of U.S. - Africa Business Forums in May 2000. Working in partnership with CCA member First International Bank and Network Financial Services based in Accra, Ghana, CCA sponsored forums in Dakar, Senegal on May 4, 2000; Bamako, Mali on May 8, 2000; and Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire on May 11, 2000.

Funded by USAID, the WAIBL forums bring together a select group of US and African businesses and entrepreneurs to initiate trade and business transactions. Five US business representatives traveled to West Africa for the forums including CCA members Kim Barkan of International Trade Development Corporation and Justina Chen with Universal Marketing Group as well as representatives from Dom-Ex, Hoffman International, and Southeastern Yarn Sales. They were joined by more than 80 local participants in Dakar, 42 participants in Bamako, and 49 participants in Abidjan. The African participants ranged from small-scale traders to larger construction, mining, transportation, textile, and fishing companies.

Network Financial Services representatives in each country are currently in the process of reviewing the proposals submitted at the forums to determine which deals qualify for financing through First International Bank with guarantees from the US Export-Import Bank. The deals coming out of the WAIBL forums will increase the presence of First International Bank and the Export-import Bank in these West African markets.