The 15th U.S.-Africa Business Summit taking place from July 11 to 14 in Gaborone, Botswana, will bring together African heads of state and government officials from the United States and top business executives to explore opportunities for enhancing Africa’s value in global value chains.
The summit, hosted by the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA), is expected to attract more than 1,000 participants from across the continent and the United States, representing various sectors including infrastructure, ICT, health, energy, mining and creative industries. The summit will also feature a health ministerial roundtable where participants will discuss innovative financing models to strengthen health systems in Africa.
The summit comes at a critical time for U.S.-Africa relations, as the Biden administration seeks to reinvigorate its engagement with the continent. In December 2022, President Joe Biden hosted the first-ever U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington, where he announced new initiatives on food security, climate change, health and diaspora engagement while promising to spend $10 billion in economic support programs. Since then, diplomatic missions to the continent by top US officials such as Vice-President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken have seen billions of dollars spent in developing. The summit also coincides with the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which aims to create a single market for goods and services across 55 African countries. The free trade market is expected to boost intra-African trade, increase industrialization and diversification and create jobs and opportunities for millions of Africans.
Botswana is one of the world’s fastest growing economies over the past decade and is regarded as a successful model for countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Anchored by a robust mining industry, prudent macroeconomic policies and strong governance, the country is poised for a resilient recovery post COVID-19. The country is seen a strong strategic partner for the United States in promoting security and stability in the region, especially in the face of rising threats from armed groups in neighboring countries such as Mali and Burkina Faso. “The summit aims to facilitate business deals and partnerships that will advance U.S.-Africa trade and investment ties and contribute to Africa’s sustainable development goals,” said Florie Liser, President and CEO of CCA. “The 2023 US-Africa Business Summit will be a momentous occasion to present Africa as a strong trade partner for U.S. companies.”