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Africa Diaspora Investment Forum London United Kingdom
Under the auspices of the Africa Business Roundtable and New Partnership
for
African Development Business Group representative from over 100 Leading
business operating in Africa conveyed in the United Kingdom to engage with
the African Diaspora on the various investment options, challenges and
obstacles towards invest in Africa.

The facilitator of the event AfricaRecruit Chairperson Dr Banjoko reported
that the feedback from all attendees has been very positive with many
taking practical steps to increase or start engaging on various investment

opportunities in Africa. She also stated that the event serve to uncover a
great potential source of wealth in the Diaspora which Africa must begin
to court and market to as a source of foreign direct investment.  There
was a great learning gap that was addressed by both African Business and
the Diaspora. Kindly see attached press release with recommendations.


Editors note

NEPAD (New Partnership for African Development) Business Group comprises
leading business organisations that have a broad constituency - both
inside and outside Africa - and are committed to supporting the
continent's ambitions to realise its full economic potential.

www.africadiaspora.com

-------------------PRESS RELEASE----------------

Africa Diaspora Investment Forum London United Kingdom 19/20th November 04-
 Africa Business Roundtable and New Partnership for Africa’s Development
Business Group



African Business engage with the African Diaspora on Foreign Direct
Investment

While the forum provided a networking forum to all businesses in Africa
seeking investment from the African Diaspora it came up with concrete
suggestion on how to harness investment from the Diaspora and support
poverty alleviation and development while assist the countries to attain
the MDGS

Who attended?
It was attended by stockbrokers, investment bankers, capital market
lawyers, accountants, consultants, policy makers,businesses and
professionals in the Diaspora. Some 700 people attended the event
including African Diaspora professionals and businesses from across Europe
and the United States of America. The conference, it is envisaged will
become an annual event.
International companies operating in Africa including big players such as
Diageo Africa and standard chartered bank and Western Union also attended

the conference.

The aim of the conference was:
To address various issues, challenges and potential solutions in
investment areas such as capital market, small medium size enterprise
(SME’s), real estate and financial flows

To increase the awareness and information to the African Diaspora of the
potential investment opportunities in Africa.

showcase investment opportunities in Africa

Illustrate exactly how the Diaspora community can benefit from the
numerous investment opportunities that exist in overseas trade and
investment, whilst supporting the development and growth of Africa’s
economy.

present local, international and corporate organisations, with an occasion
to discover a previously untapped and concealed market of local consumers,
with the potential to become overseas investors.

Recommendations
The conference highlighted the need for Africans in the Dia
spora to
organise themselves better to influence investment policies in their
respective countries. The conference recommended the following:
- Increasing the awareness and information to the African Diaspora of the
potential investment opportunities in Africa.
- Better access to African capital markets
- Introduction of tax breaks
- Increase the use of the Internet as a source of information for all
related opportunities for Diaspora investment for instance providing real
time information on the stock market;
- Making available opportunities for micro-finance relevant to the African
Diaspora SME’s
- Computerisation of land registry and timely information on real estate
investment opportunities.
- Commencement of training-“SME passport” via working with established
companies
- Need and importance of success stories
- Centralisation of information- opportunities, policies and financing
- Skills shar
ing
- Need for step-by-step guides to starting businesses in Africa
- Need for policies to encourage SME financing
- Creating for social housing investment
- Land titles depository
- Form association of real estate agents in Africa and regulate them

Banking processes
- Partnership with overseas banks
- Representatives overseas for information dissemination
- Opening bank accounts in Africa
- Creating relationship between African Stock Exchange Association members
and banks in the Diaspora
- Forming Diaspora investment club

The opening ceremony was hosted by the Mayor of London’s office with
addresses from Dr (Mrs) Ndi Okereke-Oniuke OON Director General/CEO Africa
Stock Exchange; Hon Rita Mlaki Deputy Minister Industry and Trade Tanzania
and the African Business Roundtable.


Sponsors
Sponsors of the event included; Africa Stock Exchange Association;
Business Day; BenT
V; Nigerian Stock Exchange; First Securities Discount
House Ltd Nigeria; Post Bank Kenya; Reserve Bank Zimbabwe, Standard
Chartered Bank, Western Union and Investment Banking & Trust Company
Limited sponsored the event. Other organisations in attendance included
Uganda Capital Market; Uganda Securities Exchange, Ministry of
Privatisation Uganda; Kenya Investment Promotion Centre; Zambia Business
Forum; New World Investment Ghana; Cameroon Biz amongst many others.



Presentations and pictures can be viewed at www.africadiaspora.com

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