8:15 am - 9:35 am Eastern Time

WELCOME AND OPENING PLENARY | New Pathways to a Stronger U.S.-Africa Economic Partnership

2021 poses a unique opportunity for the United States and its African partners to reset and redefine their relationship, working together to shape the global and each nation's own path to economic recovery. 

The Summit's opening plenary will offer a platform for Heads of State, senior U.S. government officials and CEOs of leading U.S. and African companies to discuss new pathways to strengthen the economic partnership between the United States and Africa. These leaders will discuss their mutual priorities and provide insights on the directions that they are taking to achieve them.

This high-level dialogue will set the scene for a three-day agenda that will build on these priorities with country- and sector-focused sessions designed to set a framework around economic policies as well as new initiatives that will build forward better the historic U.S.-Africa relationship. 

Welcome Remarks: Florizelle Liser, President and CEO, Corporate Council on Africa 



Opening Remarks:  

Dana Banks, Senior Director for Africa, White House National Security Council  

Moderator:  Eleni Giokos, Anchor and Correspondent, CNN 

H.E. Filipe Nyusi, President, Republic of Mozambique, and Chairman of SADC

Hon. Pravind Jugnauth, Prime Minister, Republic of Mauritius 

Hon. Gina M. Raimondo, Secretary of Commerce, U.S. Department of Commerce 

Al F. Kelly, Jr., Chairman and CEO, Visa, Inc.  

10:15 am - 11:50 am Eastern Time

PLENARY | The Role of Women's Leadership in Driving an Inclusive Recovery 

While we have yet to see the full economic impact of Covid-19, we know that women have been disproportionately affected. According to the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2021, preliminary evidence suggests that the pandemic and the related economic downturn have impacted women more severely than men, partially re-opening gender gaps that had already been closed.

To ensure women are not left behind as we shape the post pandemic world, deliberate steps must be taken to guarantee they have equal access to senior decision-making roles, technologies and information, economic opportunities, adequate financial tools, and healthcare. The plenary will bring together U.S and African women leaders in both the private and public sectors to discuss how we can work together to deliver equality-based policies and programs to drive an inclusive recovery and narrow the Gender Gap globally and more specifically in Africa. 

Moderator: 

Haydé Adams, International Broadcaster, Voice of America

Fireside Chat  

Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, United States Ambassador to the United Nations 

Speakers:  

H.E. Rose Mivedor, Minister of Investment Promotion, Republic of Togo 

Thokozile Ruzvidzo, Director, Gender, Poverty and Social Policy, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) 

Julie Monaco, Global Head, Public Sector Coverage, Citigroup 

Patricia Obozuwa, VP, Govt Affairs, Communication and Sustainability Africa, Coca Cola

CONCURRENT SESSIONS

12:00 pm - 1:30 pm Eastern Time

New Pathways to A Stronger U.S.-Africa Trade Relationship

The implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) is expected over the next decade to dramatically boost both Africa's intra-regional as well as global trade, including with the United States. Many are already focused on how to build on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) -- the cornerstone of the U.S.-Africa economic relationship which is scheduled to end in 2025. Others also see the negotiation of the U.S.-Kenya Free Trade Agreement as a model and potential new pathway for enhancing the U.S.-Africa trade relationship. American companies are increasingly interested in taking advantage of the increased market integration seen in Africa as well as leveling the playing field for U.S. companies competing with companies from countries that have more reciprocal market arrangements with African nations.  This session will focus on how the United States and its African partners can work collaboratively to support the AfCFTA and Africa's regional integration while exploring ways to enhance as well as go beyond AGOA.  

Moderator: 

Florizelle Liser, President & CEO, Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) 

Introductory Remarks:   

Ambassador Katherine Tai, United States Trade Representative

Panelists: 

H.E. Moulay Hafid Elalamy, Minister of Industry, Trade and Green and Digital Economy, Kingdom of Morocco

Vilo Trska, Senior Vice President for Sub-Sahara Africa, Procter & Gamble 

Tewolde GebreMariam, CEO, Ethiopian Airlines 

Laura Lane, Chief Corporate Affairs and Communications Officer, UPS

H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary General, AfCFTA Secretariat

Constance Hamilton, Assistant U.S Trade Representative for Africa, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative Executive Office of the President

Infrastructure Development: Catalyst for Economic Reboot

The pandemic has highlighted the importance of a resilient and interconnected infrastructure system which facilitates the movement of goods, services, and people. With AfCFTA implementation, new opportunities emerging as global supply chains are retooled, and a focus on new infrastructure financing options, Africa has a unique opportunity to deploy a continentwide infrastructure development plan that will connect existing infrastructure, develop new ones, and spur unprecedented economic growth. This session will discuss ways to structure African infrastructure development to maximize the impact on economic growth.

Moderator: Mahesh Kotecha, President and Founder, Structured Credit International Corp.

Panelists:  

H.E. Amani Abou-Zeid, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, African Union Commission 

H.E. Patricia de Lille, Minister of Public Works, and Infrastructure, Republic of South Africa 

Paul Sullivan, President, International Business, Acrow Bridge

Alexia Latortue, Deputy CEO, Millennium Challenge Corporation

Carmen Kamgaing, Caterpillar Africa Regional Manager, Caterpillar Inc. 

Serge Ekue, President, West African Development Bank

Amb. Justin Siberell, President, Europe and the Middle East region, Bechtel Group 

Beyond Covid-19: Pathways to Resilient Health Systems in Africa 

The COVID pandemic has dramatically underscored how critical a resilient and networked health system is to a country's national and economic security. It has shown that to effectively strengthen health security and build resilience – particularly in Africa, there is a need for more collaboration, connectivity and deliberate data collection and information exchange across countries and regions as well as between the public and private sectors. In the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the key areas that have stood out in boosting Africa's health security and resilience include: preparedness for disruptive health threats, communities' access to basic healthcare, and the capacity of healthcare supply chains.   

While the COVID pandemic has strained already challenged networks in most countries, it has also spurred countries to deploy innovative new procedures and technologies to deliver services more efficiently and at a lower cost. This session will convene key public and private sector leaders from the U.S. and Africa's healthcare sectors to discuss the importance of leveraging partnerships and digital solutions to address the full spectrum of health issues in the region. These issues include funding gaps, the need for more trained healthcare providers, better access to facilities and treatments, and a range of logistics and management challenges. African countries are also coping with a very dynamic set of challenges, ranging from continuing hard-won success in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic, related challenges such as hepatitis prevalence in patients, to managing periodic challenges like Ebola to the growing prevalence of Non-Communicable

Diseases (NCDs).  

Moderator: 

Dr. Jeffrey L. Sturchio, Chairman, CCA 

Speakers:  

Hon. Dr. Edwin Dikoloti, Minister of Health & Wellness, Botswana 

Dr. Kimberly Green, Global Program Director, Primary Health Care, PATH 

Nafisa Jiwani, Managing Director Health Initiatives, US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) 

Dr. Jenelle Krishnamorrthy, Interim Vice President, Global Public Policy, MSD 

Christopher Whitfield, Executive Director, Africa, Global Patient Solutions, Gilead Sciences

Prosper Africa 2021: Building Back Better Together 

The Prosper Africa initiative was launched at the US-Africa Business Summit in June 2019. Since then, the U.S. Government has helped close 500 two-way trade and investment deals across 45 African countries for an estimated total value of $47 billion. As the world has been rocked by a global pandemic, the U.S. Government has adapted its trade and investment tools, and created new ones, to help U.S. and African businesses adjust their strategies to respond to significant shifts in global supply chains and adjustments African governments are making to support a rapid economic recovery from the impacts of COVID.

This panel will bring together high-level officials from across the U.S. Government to showcase the new tools in the Prosper Africa toolkit and share information about new U.S. Government priorities and programs, including new programs to promote investments in the health and ICT sectors. It affords companies a unique opportunity to not just hear the latest on trade and investment promotion from senior U.S. Government officials, but also convey suggestions and get questions answered.

Moderator: 

Leslie Marbury, Acting Chief Operating Officer, Prosper Africa

Panelists: 

Akunna Cook, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State of African Affairs, Department of State 

Kyeh Kim, Principal Deputy Vice President, Department of Compact Operations, Millennium Challenge Corporation 

Jesse Corradi, Managing Director for Africa, US International Development Finance Corporation

Camille Richardson, Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Middle East and Africa Global Markets, Department of Commerce 

Heather Lanigan, Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, U.S. Trade and Development Agency  

Rick Angiuoni, Director for Africa, U.S. EXIM Bank

Travis Adkins, Deputy Assistant Administrator for Africa, USAID

7:45 am - 9:30 am Eastern Time

PLENARY | Forging Commercial Partnerships to Achieve More Equitable Vaccine Access

 The speed and scale of the spread of COVID 19 shocked the ability of countries to deal with the public health crisis while disrupting global supply chains. A handful of companies have been able to develop incredibly effective vaccines in record-breaking time, and they now forecast they will be able to supply vaccines to inoculate 70% of the world's population by the end of 2021. As vaccine production ramps up, however, there has been growing frustration and anxiety with the distribution of vaccines, as richer nations are estimated to have received up to 90% of the billion doses that have been delivered through April. The African CDC has expressed the concern that continued delays in getting Africa access to vaccines, which remains the least vaccinated continent, could condemn it to being seen as the "COVID continent," subject to international health and therefore economic isolation as global trade and transit links begin to open.      

This panel will bring together authoritative figures from the companies leading global vaccine production and African Governments to unpack the issues related to global production levels, as well as those related to distributing vaccines in Africa, including discussion of the complex logistics of distributing vaccines within countries, setting up vaccination centers and training necessary staff. This panel will also discuss how companies, international organizations and African Governments can better prepare for future outbreaks, including how best to build up African capacity to manufacture and distribute vaccines and related equipment, finance these purchases, and bolster national health networks.    

Opening Remarks: 

H.E. Paul Kagame, President, Republic of Rwanda

Moderator: Jirair Ratevosian, Executive Director, Gilead Sciences 

Speakers:    

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Director-General, World Trade Organization (WTO)  

Dr. John Nkengasong, Director, Africa CDC

Angela Hwang, President, Biopharmaceutical Group, Pfizer 

Stephen Saad, CEO, Aspen 

Bassem Bibi, Divisional Vice President, Middle East, Africa, and Global Accounts IDEM/ARDX, Abbott 

Jayashree Watal, ADJ Professor, Georgetown University Law Center

CONCURRENT SESSIONS

9:30 am - 11:00 am Eastern Time

Curbing COVID-19 spread: How a Comprehensive Response Strategy Can Help Disrupt Transmissions Today

Building on the immediately preceding vaccination plenary, global healthcare company Abbott will hold a one-hour panel discussion dedicated to discussing how affordable and high-quality point-of-care testing is a critical component of national comprehensive COVID-19 response plans. While increasing vaccination rates on the continent is an important goal, unfortunately many are forecasting it won't be accomplished until next year or even the year after, 2023. Therefore, while countries are ramping up vaccinations in the medium and long term, testing is a vital and effective public-health intervention that can help countries disrupt chain-transmission now.

Former PEPFAR head and White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator Ambassador Deborah Birx will moderate a panel discussion amongst key thought leaders from the Global Fund, CHAI, health institutions and businesses which implemented successful and widespread COVID screening programs, to share best practices on how diagnostics can help countries curb the spread of COVID-19 now. The discussion will also touch on how innovations seen in point-of-care testing during this pandemic will help facilitate domestic and international policies and funding requirements aimed at enhancing healthcare systems in Africa to bring testing and treating closer to people and patients, wherever they may reside, enabling both the quick identification of disease hotspots, and rapid reaction. This in turn will support greater trade, investment and economic growth in Africa.

Moderator:  

Amb. Deborah Birx, Former White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator 

Panelists: 

Professor Salim S. Abdool Karim, FRS, Director, Centre for the AIDS Program of Research in South Africa, Professor of Global Health, Columbia University 

Dr. David Ripin, Executive Vice President and Chief Science Officer, Clinton Health Access Initiative

Marijke Wijnroks, Chief of Staff, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria  

Closing the Trade Finance Gap: A Pathway to Supporting More SMEs, Diaspora, and Women Owned Businesses 

The African Development Bank surveyed more than 250 banks in 45 different African countries and found that even though 93 percent of banks provided trade finance solutions, only 28 percent of banks' total trade finance portfolio benefited SMEs, even less women-owned businesses, while the bulk of trade finance facilities served large companies. It also found a significant deficit compared to demand for trade finance, further estimating the trade finance gap in Africa being approximately 25 percent of total demand. Inadequate financial infrastructure, including credit information systems, make it nearly impossible to de-risk transactions and enhance banks' abilities to offer affordable trade finance solutions, particularly for SMEs. In recent years, understanding this tremendous gap, financial institutions, including non-bank financial institutions have developed trade finance products targeting unmet demand in the market. Panelists will discuss innovative approaches to closing the gap in Africa's trade finance industry and doing so in ways that benefit SMEs, diaspora, and women-owned businesses both in the United States and Africa.

Welcome and Introduction of VIP officials: Dr. Jim Winkler, Vice President and Director, Creative Associates International 

Introductory Remarks:   

Hon. Don Graves, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Commerce 

H.E. Papa Amadou Sarr, Minister, General Delegate for Entrepreneurship, Republic of Senegal 

Moderator:  

Addis Alemayehou, Chairman, Kazana Group

Panelists: 

Michael Awori, Deputy CEO and COO, Trade and Development Bank

Michele Schimpp, Deputy Associate Administrator, Small Business Administration 

Joann Hill, Chief, Office of Business Development, Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) 

Carl Manlan, Social Impact Regional Lead for the CEMEA region, Visa

Dan Phipps, CEO, Red River Foods 

Doing Business in Botswana

"Doing Business" country-focused sessions at the U.S.-Africa Business Summit are organized and run by the public sector of the featured country and give investors from both the U.S. and Africa the opportunity to gain insight on how to enter or expand in the featured market. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about government policies, business opportunities, and private sector success stories from high‐level government officials and representatives from companies operating in the country. This session will highlight trade and investment opportunities in and enable attendees to network with businesses interested in Botswana, interact with Botswanan policymakers and business representatives, and build potential partnerships supporting a stronger U.S.-Botswana economic

relationship.  

H.E. Mokgweetsi Masisi, President, Republic of Botswana

Bruce Cleaver, CEO, De Beers Group

H.E. Onkokame Kitso Mokaila, Ambassador of Botswana to the United States 

Tony Carroll, Vice President, Manchester Trade Ltd 

H.E. Craig Lewis Cloud, U.S. Ambassador to Botswana 

Tumie Ramsden, Communications Practitioner, Venus 

Building a Sustainable Agribusiness Ecosystem

African Development Bank studies shows that the agribusiness sector is projected to be a $ 1 trillion industry in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030 compared to $ 313 billion in 2010. This sector remains the largest employer, contributor to the gross domestic production and a critical source of foreign exchange in Africa. Partnerships, long-term policies, flexible and robust financing mechanisms, integration to global value chains and technology deployment will be critical to take full advantage of the expected growth in this strategic sector. This session will discuss the most effective strategies for achieving a sustainable agribusiness environment in Africa, and the ways that the U.S. public and private sectors can be partners in this.

Moderator: 

Dr. Mima Nedelcovych, Chairman, AfricaGlobal Schaffer

Panelists: 

Clay Hamilton, Associate Administrator and General Sales Manager, USDA 

John Coumantaris, Chairman, Flour Mills Nigeria

Moulay Lahcen Ennahli, Senior VP, OCP Africa 

Monica Musonda, CEO, Java Foods 

Fatai Yusufu, President, Fayus Inc. 

11:00 am - 12:30 pm Eastern Time

Trained Immunity: Consequences for Public Health and Disease

Harnessing the power of the human body's innate immune system to treat some of the world's most dangerous diseases has significant potential to improve public health outcomes around the world. Mihai Netea MD PhD will explain the power of trained immunity and how it can contribute to fighting cancer and infections.

Congressional Dialogue on U.S.-Africa Economic Partnership (By-Invitation-only)

 The U.S. Congress plays a critical role in shaping U.S. economic policies and initiatives in Africa - including through legislation like AGOA as well as appropriating funds for key initiatives like MCC and PEPFAR, and establishing institutions like the USDFC. Working in coordination with the U.S. Executive Branch, Congress lays the framework for the U.S. relationship with Africa, including its economic partnership. Members of Congress recognize the importance of rapidly growing African markets and continental integration for U.S. interests, and are already exploring ways to build on and enhance AGOA, establish potential new free trade agreements, and facilitate U.S. trade and investment in Africa. 

This session will feature key leaders from both the House and Senate trade and foreign affairs committees and provide a unique opportunity for them to engage with African officials and U.S. companies looking to take advantage of Africa's extensive trade, investment, and commercial opportunities.  

Tourism: A Path to Post-COVID Economic Relaunch 

UNCTAD notes that tourism contributes 7% to African GDP, creates and supports over 24 million jobs, and serves as an important sector for FDI, including from the United States. Tourism was one of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. One study shows that Africa's tourism sector practically collapsed with (some of the impacts on airlines, hotels, workers, etc). As a vital economic sector and source of foreign exchange in many Africa countries, the relaunch of Africa's tourism sector is critical to Africa's post-COVID economic recovery. Though the outlook for the sector remains highly uncertain, public and private partnership is the key to reviving this sleeping giant.

This session will bring together government and private sector leaders to share their vision and strategies to revive this critical sector. 

Moderator:   

Barbara Keating, CEO, Computer Frontiers 

Panelists:   

H.E. Nadia Fettah Alaoui, Minister of Tourism, Air Transport, Handicrafts and Social Economy, Morocco 

Mossadeck Bally, Founder and CEO, Azalai Hotels  

Olaf Schmidt, Regional Manager, Sub-Saharan Africa, IFC 

Cherae Robinson, Founder and CEO, TasteMakers 

Chaitan Jain, Director Regulatory Affairs, United Airlines