Amb. Sanders-GALLUP INVITE: Constance Hamilton, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Africa, USTR - Keynote on "Today’s US-Africa Trade Relationship"

INVITE: FEEEDS-Gallup World Poll - July 23, 2020, 10:30am-12pm EDT

Constance Hamilton, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Africa-Keynotes on “Today’s US-Africa Trade Relationship," (AfCTA, Kenya Talks, AGOA, SMEs). And, Gallup's Africa Regional Director, Magali Rheault, discusses data on Africa SMEs. Date: July 23, 2020 Times: 1030am-12pm (EDT); 330pm-5:00pm (BST); 3:30pm-5pm (WAT); 5:30pm-7pm (EAT); 4:30pm-6pm (SAST); 8pm-9:30pm (New Delhi). REGISTER BELOW (see press announcement:  https://allafrica.com/stories/202007150002.html)

 

SAVE THE DATE – Virtual Event! The 7th Annual FEEEDS-GALLUP Africa Forum With Event Partners  allAfrica.com, IDI & ACBC “Update on Today's US-Africa Trade Relationship: AfCTA, US-Kenya Talks , AGOA & Role Small Business” KEYNOTE SPEAKER Ms. Constance Hamilton  Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Africa, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative FEATURED SPEAKER Magali Rheault Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Director, Gallup World Poll Program Date: 1030am-12pm (EDT), July 23, 2020 Time Zones: 1030am-12pm (EDT); 330pm-5:00pm (BST); 3:30pm-5pm (WAT); 5:30pm-7pm (EAT); 4:30pm-6pm (SAST); 8pm-9:30pm (New Delhi)  Co-Hosts  Ambassador Robin Renee Sanders, CEO-FEEEDS (M.C.) Jon Clifton, Global Managing Partner, Gallup World Poll (Welcome) Greetings from Event Partners Parashu Nepal, International Development Institute, Founder/MD Stanley Straughter, African Caribbean Business Council, Chairman Annual Forum’s Objective: Highlight Africa topics with dialogue & data              Click Here to REGISTER! See above hyperlinks for bios & websites A FEEEDS Blogspot

Sanders Serves as Visiting Woodrow Wilson Scholar at CBU, Riverside, California

CEO-FEEEDS, Dr. Robin Sanders served as the 2019 annual Woodrow Wilson Visiting Scholar at Catholic Baptist University(CBU), Riverside, California. Her worked focused on educating students about world affairs, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSAfrica), implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa, particularly in the health and education sectors, sharing the goals of the U.S.' trade facilitation program called the African Growth and Opportunity Act (or AGOA), and stressing the importance of Americans seeing SSAfrica differently as a

strategic investment, trade, and security partner.


Dr. Sanders was also given a tour of CBU's upgraded air fleet  of Piper 2-seater planes at its flight school, which included a  hands on flight with the school's flight director and Sanders taking the plane controls for a short period to loop over the famous, but rare " super blooming poppy fields," of California's Lake Elsinore and Walker Canyon of Western Riverside County.

As part of her subject matter expertise on Africa, Sanders also discussed the China-Africa and US-Africa relationships, noting that these were separate relationships and not a tripartite or 3-dimensional relationship. "Africa will chose its partners, and we can work with the region to help in better scrutinizing contracts, sharing best practices, and pushing our competencies, our value-added expertise, and assist with capacity building" Sanders added.

While at CBU Ambassador Sanders, in addition to her lectures with students, gave a public speech entitled The U.S & 21st Century Africa," as part of a joint CBU-World Affairs Council event that also included a book signing of both Sanders books -

The Rise of Africa's Small Businesses and The Legendary Uli Women of Nigeria. See video at end of blog

  

US Chamber-YALI Event: Dr.Sanders Facilitates Session on Africa Small Businesses (SMEs)

The US Chamber continued its support for the Young Africa Leaders Initiative (YALI) summer session by holding its annual half day roundtable on having the US private sector engage with YALI participants on mutual issues of concern such as: youth job skills, closing the skills gap; business climate in emerging markets; entrepreneurship ecosystems; and, working with and better supporting Africa small businesses (better known in the Africa Region as Small & Medium Size Enterprises, SMEs). Ambassador Sanders served as the facilitator for the latter theme -- "working with and better supporting Africa small businesses," particularly as policy makers and in fields like health, LGTB issues, and agriculture. (see pics &video).

Background on YALI: The program for young African leaders in a range of sectors, is an annual U.S. Government program which began under the Obama Administration and has been renewed under the Administration of President Trump.

The program's goal is to supporting training and skills development of young Africans 25-45 years of age and to help build a pan-Africa network of young leaders.

A FEEEDS Series Blogspot

Nigeria's Venture Garden Group ICT Firm Host Sanders SME Book Event

One of Nigeria's leading ICT companies, Venture Garden Group (VGG), gathered some of Nigeria's leading entrepreneurial incubators and startups to have a discussion with Ambassador Sanders about their companies' innovative ICT businesses addressing many of the country's development, access and supply issues, by creating technology responses to these challenges.

Many of the innovators were women businesses ranging in app creation for ICT services to web design and coding. One of the favorites of the Ambassador  during the evening event was speaking with the founder of "MaxGo," one of the larger SMEs which Sanders had written about in her book "The Rise of Africa's Small and Medium Size Enterprises," as a business or service being created out of a need.

MaxGo is an Uber-like motorbike  services which supplies a helmet and dust mask for its drivers get busy Lagosian from one place to another in the constant grid-lock traffic of Nigeria's commercial capital Lagos weaving in and out of traffic which Uber cars cannot do. (A FEEEDS BlogSpot).

Nigeria's VP opens VGG Silicon Valley-like Hub

Nigeria's Venture Garden Group (VGG) launches its version of a Silicon Valley in Lagos' Airport district with the country's esteemed Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (c) kicking off the event. The event was spear headed by the dynamic young owners of VGG Kunmi Demuren and Bunmi Akinimenji (c-r). Ambassador Sanders is a founding board member and director of VGG.  The Chairman of VGG's Board Cyril Udo (c-l) also led the festivities.

This new Silicon Valley of Lagos is call Vibranium, after the extraordinary and powerful mineral in the famous movie "Black Panther," hence the "Wakanda" pose in the pic

A FEEEDS Series Blogspot

Dr. Sanders Keynotes Morgan State University First Africa Business Conference

Baltimore's Morgan State University (MSU) held its first Africa Business Conference at the University 's new Earl Graves Business Center. Dr. Sanders served as the event's scene setting keynote speaker to highlight current trends in Africa's consumer markets, middle class growth, entrepreneurship and best sector for US companies, especially small business, to engage in the Africa Region.

Dr. Hu (l) organizer of the event

Her remarks were followed by her 34th book signing event for her recent book "The Rise of Africa's Small and Medium Size Enterprises: Spurring Development and Growing the Middle Class."

The conference was attended by small businesses, domestic and international academics, students and non-governmental organizations.

Below left Sanders is with MSU students, professors and international participants of the conference.


On right Dr. Sanders highlights the growing number of African consumers with disposable income, and the impact of the new African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA), which will make the region have a $USD 2.4 trillion dollar market, the largest in the world. The new AfCTA agreement was signed by 44 African countries and is now making the ratification rounds in each country. The goal is to seek ratification by 22 countries in order for the treaty to come into affect. South Africa, although it did not sign initially said it plans to once it is reviewed so it is in line with its constitution. Nigeria has not yet signed the agreement. (A FEEEDS BlogSpot)

Amb. Sanders Keynotes at RMU - Africa's Small Businesses:Great Examples for Entrepreneurship Everywhere

Ambassador Robin Sanders will be speaking at Robert Morris University (RMU) in Pittsburgh on the great example Africa's small and medium size businesses (SMEs) are providing for those in both the developed and developing world to see entrepreneurship as a way not only to address personal economic growth, but help communities and the greater global society in what she calls their  "businesses-aiding-development" role  in her latest book, "The Rise of Africa Small and Medium Size Enterprises: Spurring Development & Growing the Middle Class."

A FEEEDS Blogspot