WASHINGTON, D.C. – March 20, 2018 – The Initiative for Global Development (IGD) announced today its lineup of sponsors and partners for its four-city U.S. Roadshow Tour, taking place from April 18 – May 1, 2018, to spur bold action on increasing U.S. trade and investment in Africa.

The U.S. roadshow tour, “Africa Investment Rising: Building Momentum for Investing in Africa’s Economic Prosperity”, is aimed at re-shaping perceptions on doing business in Africa by bringing trade and investment opportunities to U.S. companies and forging stronger connections between U.S. and African business leaders in key growth sectors.

African and U.S. CEOs and senior executives from sector-leading companies and investors are invited to participate in the U.S. roadshow’s multi-city series of site visits, panel discussions, and speed networking among investors and business leaders to spur greater U.S. investment in Africa.

Top level sponsors of the U.S. Roadshow Tour include USAID’s East Africa and Southern Africa Trade and Investment Hubs as Premier Sponsor. The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group will serve as Collaborating Partner and the Bank’s top leadership from key sectors will be participating throughout the roadshow tour.

Launching the U.S. roadshow in Washington, D.C on April 18 with an evening reception to kick off the U.S. Roadshow Tour on Capitol Hill.  A high-level morning session on April 19 will focus on U.S. financing of businesses operating in Africa. A Private Sector Engagement Forum, to be held on the afternoon of Thursday, April 19, will bring together development actors — USAID officials, African government officials and representatives from the private sector and civil society — for an action-oriented discussion on building successful public-private partnerships to promote sustainable development and economic prosperity on the continent.

The roadshow tour will then travel to New York City to highlight banking, financing, and investment opportunities; Des Moines, IA for agriculture and agro-industry; and Houston, TX for energy and power.

“It has never been a better time for trade and investment in Africa,” said Dr. Mima S. Nedelcoych, President and CEO of the Initiative for Global Development (IGD). “We’re excited about launching the U.S. roadshow tour to showcase the continent’s economic potential.  Expanding trade and investment will enable both U.S. and African companies to scale and tap into new markets, leading to mutually beneficial job creation and greater economic prosperity. It’s a win-win.”

Platinum sponsors are ChevronNorton, Rose and Fulbright LLPIowa State University Research ParkAGCOLilium Capital, and Orrick; Gold sponsors are Corteva Agriscience™, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont™Endeavor EnergyJohn DeereSasol, and AllAfrica; and Silver sponsors are World Food Prize Foundation and Millennium Challenge Corporation.

Organizational Partners are PAN Diaspora Capital ManagementHarris Africa Partners/Grant T. Harris, The Serendra Group LLC/Robert van Zwieten, U.S. Bilateral African Chamber of CommerceGlobal Farmer NetworkU.S. Small Business Administration, and Invest Africa.

Media partners are  Africa Business magazineAfrica InvestorAfrica.com,  Afropop WorldwideAllAfrica.comAlloAfricaNews.comAsoko InsightFace2Face Africainnov8tiv.com, Pan-African Visions, and VoxAfrica.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) Group is a regional multilateral development bank engaged in promoting the sustainable economic development and social progress in its regional member countries, thus contributing to poverty reduction. The USAID East Africa and Southern Africa Trade and Investment Hubs provide extensive support to deepen the U.S.-Africa economic and commercial relationship with and within their regions.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available and IGD will announce additional sponsors and media partners on an ongoing basis. For information contact, Lara Bangs, Manager of Corporate Events, at lbangs@igdleaders.org or visit www.aircampaign.org

To learn more about the U.S. roadshow tour and to become a sponsor or media partner, please visit www.aircampaign.org.

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The Initiative for Global Development (IGD) is a Washington, DC-based network of African and global business leaders who are committed to advancing sustainable development and inclusive growth in Africa through business investment. IGD brings together CEOs and senior executives from leading African and global companies through our Frontier Leader Network to catalyze greater business investment and impact on the African continent.

MEDIA CONTACT: Shanta Bryant Gyan, Initiative for Global Development * email, sbryant@igdleaders.org  * phone, 202-412-4603