There's still space available for the African Business Forum at the University of Minnesota Carlson School the afternoon of May 18.
The featured speaker is Carols Dos Santos, ambassador to the U.S. from Mozambique, and Jeff Sturchio, chairman of the board of the Corporate Council on Africa, the leading U.S. business council focusing on Africa.
A panel of Minnesota business people will include: Raj V. Rajan, vice president of sustainability at Ecolab; Molly Guy, Global Health program leader with Medtronic Labs in Ghana and Kenya; Bradley Buck of Land O'Lakes and Asratie Teferra, chief revenue officer, YAZMI USA.
Exports from Minnesota to Africa increased to $185 million last year, up from the year before. More information: www.mn.gov/deed/business/exporting/events. The cost is $15.
China has emerged Africa's biggest business partner.
A Brookings Institution paper in 2015 said: "Since 2000, China has emerged as Africa's largest trading partner. Chinese direct investment in and lending to African countries has grown rapidly as well. This Chinese engagement in Africa has no doubt led to faster growth and poverty reduction on the continent."
And China pledged $60 billion last year to finance African infrastructure and other projects to bolster local economies.
