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2006 Press Releases

Press Release  

Food and Technology Business Forum

July 20, 2006

Contact:
Eric Makuna Tande
Chicago Midwest
Export Corp.
1719 South Clinton Street
Chicago, IL, 60616
(312) 421-7000 or (630) 670-5551 cell
Fax: 312-421-1109
Email: eric@chicagomidwest.com 
Web:  http://www.chicagomidwest.com

The United States Embassy, Cameroon, the U.S. Regional commercial service in Dakar/Abidjan, the Chicago U.S. Export assistant center, and Chicago Midwest will host the second annual food and technology business forum in Chicago.

The U.S. Embassies in and the Foreign Commercial Service (FCS) for West and Central Africa region will lead high-level trade delegations of African business executives to Chicago for a business forum and attendance to two trade expositions.

WHAT:  Food and Technology Business Forum

WHEN: Tuesday, October 31, 2006 to Saturday, November 4, 2006

WHERE: Chicago Marriott Oak Brook, 1401 W. 22nd Street, Oak Brook, IL 60523

WHO: U.S. Embassies in and the FCS for West and Central Africa region; U.S. Export Assistant Center Chicago; George Ferguson, President, Chicago Midwest Export; Eric Makuna Tande, Vice President, Business Operations, Chicago Midwest Export; Shuming Gu, Vice President, International Sales, Chicago Midwest; African business executives; and U.S. company representatives.

CHICAGO, IL. July, 15 2006 – The United States Embassies in and the FCS for West and Central Africa region, the U.S. Export Assistant Center Chicago and Chicago Midwest Export Corp., USA, are sponsoring a business forum for African business executives. The forum will take place from October 31 to November 5, 2006. During the forum, the delegation will also attend two international trade expositions – PACK EXPO International and the Food Processing Machinery Expo 2006 - taking place at the McCormick Place convention center in Chicago from October 29 to November 2, 2006. 150 participants African executives are expected at the forum.

Chicago Midwest Export Corp. will invite American companies to meet with the delegation during the forum. Organs of the U.S. government that support international trade will present information about their services. Investment firms, banks that provide trade loans, representatives from freight related companies are also being invited to meet the delegation. The forum will provide a unique relationship-building opportunity for U.S. companies that want to reach new markets. Companies that want to meet the delegation should contact Eric Tande (eric@chicagomidwest.com).

The forum will focus on the following key areas:

  • Grocery Supplies and Private Label (Branding)
  • Food Package manufacturing – plastics, paper, shopping bags and boxes
  • Food and drink processing equipment
  • Food industry supplies and raw materials
  • Farm equipment, technology and supplies
  • Prefab structures
  • Animal feed technology and supplies
  • US buyers of African commodities - cocoa, coffee and lumber
  • US quality requirements for African commodities
  • Cereal sourcing
  • Globalization issues, the rules of international trade and survival in the global
  • Marketplace
  • Trade Financing
  • Industrial Equipment and Technology
  • Freight Management and Customs

A business roundtable discussion will take place during the business forum. Industry leaders, academic experts and business executives from the African Diaspora will meet in a three-hour session to discuss the challenges and opportunities in African trade.

A new organization, The US – Africa Business Council - will be launched during the business roundtable session. The US- Africa Business Council will seek to expand bilateral trade and investment between the US and Africa with emphasis on West and Central Africa. African and U.S. companies will run the organization.

This event is part of efforts by U.S. embassies and the Foreign Commercial Services around the world to increase U.S. Exports. It is also part of the commitment of U.S. Embassies to support private sector development in local communities around the world. The U.S. Embassy in Cameroon and other African countries together with the Foreign Commercial Service in Dakar, Senegal sponsor several business delegations to the U.S. every year.

This forum is managed by Chicago International Export Corp., the subsidiary of Chicago Midwest Export that deals exclusively with African trade. Chicago Midwest Export is a 25-year old export marketing and trade consulting company located in Chicago, Illinois. Chicago Midwest represents American companies in global markets and is also involved in the marketing of African commodities in foreign markets. Chicago Midwest Export manages trade leads for the United States Embassy in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

For more information on Food and Technology Business Forum, send an email to eric@chicagomidwest.com or call 630 670-5551 or 312 421-7000; YanaJP@state.gov
Tel. +237 220 15 00 Ext 4118; EkomCA@state.gov Tel. 220 15 00 Ext 4382; Marie.Paule.ngaleu@mail.doc.gov Tel.:  (225) 2249-4406; Youhanidou.Wane.Ba@mail.doc.gov Tel.: +221-823-42-96 Ext. 3204.

Good economic management can make a significant contribution to poverty elimination,
yet only widespread strategically-placed business ventures … can create sufficient wealth.