Dallas - The Angolan Head of State said on Tuesday in Dallas, Texas, that Africa can play a crucial role in overcoming the energy and food crisis facing the world.
‘We need private investment and American know-how to turn the continent into a major producer and exporter of quality food for the world,’ said the statesman, speaking at the opening of the 16th US-Africa Business Summit.
In this regard, according to the Angolan President, the world should look first to Africa for its abundance of arable land, water resources, sunshine and young labour, which can easily and quickly master the use of modern agricultural machinery and absorb knowledge of the most modern cultivation techniques.
That's why he believes that the United States looking at Africa differently could be the key to these two problems that are afflicting the world economy.
‘Be pragmatic and don't waste this opportunity that is opening up for everyone's benefit,’ he challenged.
Against this backdrop, he invited American businesspeople to invest freely in all areas of African economies, wherever feasibility studies guarantee them a return on their investment.
He pointed to industry, agribusiness, fisheries, mineral resources, oil and gas, ornamental rocks, real estate, hotels and tourism, telecommunications and other sectors as ones that could welcome US investors.
‘Private investment or public-private partnerships in the construction and management of reference hospital units, in the local production of medicines and vaccines will be very welcome and cherished by African governments in general,’ he said.
This interest, according to the statesman, also extends to universities and scientific research centres, which are keen to strengthen contacts and work with the most respected American institutions of this kind.
The Angolan head of state is among the African governments invited to the four-day summit to discuss solutions for boosting commercial co-operation between the US and Africa.
The summit is an initiative aimed at discussing effective solutions for boosting sustainable commercial partnerships between the US and the African continent, which is becoming increasingly strategic and a priority in the US administration's foreign policy.
The main objective of the meeting is to enable African leaders to directly contact government and private sector decision-makers in order to boost sustainable business partnerships between the US and Africans.
The summit's organisers plan to bring to the table issues of paramount importance for strengthening mutually beneficial business partnerships, with particular emphasis on the agribusiness sector.
It is hoped that African countries will build bridges and partnerships to give greater consistency to their development projects, attracting
development projects, attracting US investors to the agricultural fields, one of the main engines of growth for the continent's economies.
The 16th US-Africa Business Summit will serve to deepen the issue of financing options available through the US government and institutional investors, as well as US and African banks. Elj/ART/DAN/DOJ
