URUGWIRO VILLAGE - About 20 Heads of State and
over 5000 delegates are expected to attend
the upcoming Leon H. Sullivan Summit expected
to be held in Rwanda next year. The Leon H. Sullivan Summit brings together
the world's political and business leaders,
delegates representing national and
international civil and multi-national organisations,
and members of academic institutions
in order to focus attention and resources
on Africa's economic and social development. Speaking at Urugwiro Village after meeting
with President Paul Kagame,
Carl Masters who heads the technical team
of the Summit said; "the Summit in Rwanda
will focus more on agriculture, education,
tourism, energy, investments and
trade opportunities." The Summit was established by
the late Rev. Leon H. Sullivan in 1991
to bridge the business gap between
Africans and African Americans in
the United States of America. Masters added that it will be a great opportunity
for Rwandan and US investors
to explore opportunities in both countries
and also assist and benefit local traders
in Rwanda who will be given an opportunity
to trade and exhibit their goods during the event. Masters was accompanied to his meeting
with the President by senior technical staff
of Leon H. Sullivan Foundation who
are preparing the high level Summit expected
to take place mid next year. Masters pointed out that the Summit will
help forge partnerships between
African and American entrepreneurs
aimed at beneficial knowledge and expertise sharing. "In our preparations, we are looking at having
a chartered planes coming direct from
Washington to Kigali aboard 1500 delegates
while the majority of other delegates
will fly in Kigali from different African countries,"
revealed Masters. Meanwhile, Francis Gatare,
the Principal Deputy CEO of
Rwanda Development Board (RDB)
said that it would be a great opportunity
for Rwandan traders to generate revenues
for the mega summit. "We expect the hospitality sector to make use
of the event and traders will have an opportunity
to generate more revenues;
we are also looking at long term opportunities
like partnerships and investments opportunities,"
said Gatare who also attended
the delegation's meeting with the President. Leon H. Sullivan Summits have previously
been held in eight other African countries,
the first one was held in Ivory Coast
while the most recent one was held in Tanzania. The Summits also raise the world's consciousness
on the importance of Africa as a global citizen
and a viable world player in the economic arena. |
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