D.C. Mayor Gray and OAA Host 2nd Annual DC to Africa Business Symposium

Courtesy DC Mayor’s Office of African Affairs
Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Growing Local, Going Global

On Monday, November 25, 2013, Mayor Vincent C. Gray and his Office on African Affairs hosted a highly successful and well-received 2nd Annual DC to Africa: ‘Growing Local, Going Global’ Business Symposium. Held at the Mayor’s Citywide Conference Center at One Judiciary Square, this all-day symposium brought together over 300 local business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs in direct contact with more than 20 business resource providers from District, federal and nonprofit agencies.
Coordinated in partnership with the Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD), the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), the US Department of Commerce and the Office of Community Affairs, OAA’s DC to Africa business symposium aimed, first and foremost, to advance the Mayor’s top priority of growing and diversifying the District’s economy as a vehicle for expanding the tax base and employment opportunities for District residents.

“By connecting our aspiring and existing businesses to resources and opportunities, we diversify our economy and build resilience and sustainability. Our 1776 Incubator Program, DSLBD’s Export DC Program, our Great Streets Capital Improvement Program, and our new Innovation Hub for Entrepreneurs at St. Elizabeth are just a few examples of the kinds of business development programs we are implementing to nurture entrepreneurship and innovation,” said the Mayor in his welcoming remarks.

Coming right on the heels of Global Entrepreneurship Week and the first anniversary of the Obama Administration’s Doing Business in Africa Campaign, the symposium was designed to promote emerging opportunities in US-Africa trade. “We’re here to encourage and equip the District’s African diaspora community to invest in and trade with their countries of origin in Africa by building sustainable enterprises that can simultaneously stimulate the US economy,” said OAA Director Ngozi Nmezi in her opening remarks.

“Sub-Saharan Africa has six of the 10 fastest growing economies in the world, which makes Africa poised to be the world’s next great economic success story. That is why the Commerce Department launched the Doing Business in Africa Campaign last year – to help American businesses take advantage of that growth and increase exports, which support millions of U.S. jobs,“ said Acting U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Patrick Gallagher.

The 2nd Annual DC to Africa symposium created a unique platform for the business community to learn about the full range of support available to advance and globalize their business goals and pursuits. Breakout sessions tailored to the distinct needs of startups and established businesses provided resources on licensing, counseling services, access to capital, contracting and procurement, international trade financing, export incentives, and country-specific investment opportunities in Africa.

Additionally, the symposium provided ample time for one-on-one networking and relationship building. “I appreciated the interactive panels, the knowledgeable speakers, and the topics, but mostly I thoroughly enjoyed being able to meet and engage a wide variety of government agency representatives, business owners, embassy representatives and all kinds of inspiring professionals I would have otherwise not met,” said a participant.

As part of its Business Engagement and Capacity Building program, OAA is committed to further strengthening District businesses through ongoing technical assistance, greater access to information, and targeted educational programs.