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Jan. 25, 2000: CCA Hosts Five African Heads of State in Central African Initiative CCA Hosts African Presidents During "Month of Africa" at the UN

Five African Heads of State joined Ambassador Richard Holbrook and Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Susan Rice at a dinner hosted by the CCA in New York's Metropolitan Club on January 25. The African heads of State had convened in New York to attend a special meeting of UN Security Council devoted to peacemaking efforts in Central Africa.

The African leaders were closeted with UN officials in tough negotiations on the ongoing war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Ambassador Holbrook asked that the CCA bring together a group from the private sector to discuss economic development issues after two days of negotiations.

Laurent Kabila of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, Jose dos Santos of Angola, Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique, and Frederic Chiluba of Zambia, along with Foreign Minister Theo Ben Gurirab of Namibia, currently President of the UN General Assembly, Ugandan Foreign Minister Eriya Kategaya, and Southern African Development Community Speical Negotiator Ketumile Masire (former president of Botswna) represented the African side. They joined 100 representatives from the American private and public sectors for the event. CCA Chairman Maurice Tempelsman and the evening's sponsors, Don Barden of Barden International and Richard Matsky of Chevron greeted the guests and introduced the two speakers from the U.S. side, Congressman Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa, and Export-Import Bank Chairman James Harmon.

Congressman Royce pledged his support to the African Growth and Opportunity Act, and encouraged the Administration and the CCA to continue efforts to integrate Africa into the global economy. " But I'd also like to be frank," he added.. "The efforts by those who care about Africa in the United States, these efforts to develop this new relationship, have been partially stymied by the resurgence of conflicts in Africa. I have been impressed and encouraged by the attention the administration has given to Africa at the United Nations this month. The international community can and should help, but ultimately it will be the african leaders, the men and women in this room, who have been given the responsibility to guide their nations, who will rise to the moral and itnellectual challenge to bring a just peace to the heart of Africa."

Harmon left his prepared remarks at the door and decided to speak about his own Bank's role in African business. On his first visit to Africa in 1998, and he said that he was "stunned to find that we did so little in Africa. I was stunned to find that I was the only Ex-Im Chairman ever to have visited Southern Africa, and mostly, I was stunned to find that the Ex-Im Bank did only about $50 million in Africa each year." Harmon took charge with the convert's enthusiasm and the banking skills developed over a lifetime. " I became determined to find a strategy to do more," he told the assembled representatives. "We have made some progress, but not enough. We provided $600 million in loans this past year, and this year we will provide $1 billion in funding."

Harmon left his audience with "a few pieces of advice." "There has never been a President of the United States who cared about Africa more than President Clinton. There has never been a Chairman of the Ex-Im Bank who cared more than I do. That means that your really have to focus on taking advantage of this, because we are determined to solve problems. We found a way to do more in Africa, not just to focus on the large transactions but to find a way to do small business in Africa. And, you should al focus on export credit agencies. I am here not just to sell the Ex-Im Bank but to give some friendly advice - the export credit agencies have more funding than all of the development banks put together. I am convinced that in the next years you will see some very significant projects. I will go to Africa, my staff will go Africa, but we need your help and advice."

President Joachim Chissano of Mozambique, currently president of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) was the speaker from the African side. Taking the stage in the wake of a report from the Economist that Mozambique will have the world's fastest growing economy in 2000, Chissano reaffirmed SADCC's commitment to the Lusaka Accords, "the only agreement that provides a framework for peace in the DROC." He expressed his hope that Ambassador Holbrook's initiatives would lead to a UN commitment to support peace keeping efforts in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a joint effort of the UN and the OAU. "The opportunity to put an end to the conflict in the DROC is within our grasp," he emphasized.

Chissano stressed Mozambique's experience, which is demonstrating impressive economic growth following the peace accords that ended a lengthy civil war in 1992. "We need to expand this climate to all countries of the region. The Corporate Council is certainly a partner we always count on to assist us in this challenge of obtaining peace and generating sustainable development.

Needless to say, Mozambique's President is a booster of both Africa and economic reform. "Africa is on a fast track mission towards economic growth and sustained development. Africa needs to attract foreign investment, investment looking to emnhance their market penetration and profits. Just as Southweast Asia experienced a turnaround in the early 80s, so Africa is travelling along this road. Most of our countries have preferential access to the major markets.of the world. Our need for infrastructure combines with our goal to increase foreign exchange through export growth makes us a prime candidate for export-oriented production, light or heavy manufacturing, as well as opening the door for infrastructure investments - in roads, electrcity, airports, telecommunications just to mention some examples. Africa is on the map. According to a recent report of the Intelligence Unit of the Economist, Africa is expected to grow at a rate of 3-4% next year. Mozambique, with an expected growth rate of 10%, leads the list."

The evening ended with a presentation of gifts from CCA to the visiting dignitaries, and a closing prayer led by the Rev.Andrew Young, asking a "blessing on these peacemakers."

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