Nashville will play host to a gathering of leaders and speakers from more
than twenty African, Carribean, and Asian nations, offering Tennessee and
Southeast business leaders opportunities to tap into existing and emerging
markets in Africa, the Carribean and Asia.
Now in its 15th year, the conference will be held in Nashville at the
Hotel Preston, October 30-November 1, 2008. The conference theme,
“Business Investments Equals Good Healthcare”, adequately describes
an event considered one of the most ambitious efforts at establishing
Tennessee and the Southeast as a conduit to trade between the developing
world and the United States.
Since the first conference was held in Nashville in 1994, the event has
gained momentum each year and has proved advantageous to several
companies and governments. Take the example of Tennessee Valley
Infrastructure Group(TVIG), a Chattanooga based consortium that
includes companies from Oak Ridge, Trenton, and Murfreesboro.The TVI
Group builds what the company calls “a utility in a box”, transportable
containers that can provide basic water purification, electricity,
telecommunications and healthcare services useful for small to medium
size communities. “The Nigerian Ambassador linked us with Mobile oil-
Nigeria. As a result we worked with them to put in units in Nigeria as they
privatized their utility sectors”, said TVI Group President Richard Ector.
Through the conference, former Mozambican Prime Minister Pascoal
Mocumbi, visited Nashville to seek assistance from the Tennessee Valley
Authority after the devastating floods in Mozambique.
Tennessee government officials have been quick to recognize the
conference's potential for increasing business between Tennessee and other
countries. Former Governor Don Sundquist, who delivered the keynote
address several years ago described business relations between Tennessee
and Afro-Carribean States as a must. He advocated a trade mission to
Africa.
The conference's impact is also being felt in areas beyond business and
healthcare development. Partnerships have been established in areas
ranging from law enforcement to higher education. The establishment of
the Hassan Adamu Distinguished Professorship at Tennessee State
University and the training of Haitian and African policemen, and
provision of medical equipments and personnel to African countries are
cases in point.
Former Presidents Jean- Bertrand Aristide of Haiti, Godfrey Binaisa
of Uganda and Ruth Perry of Liberia have described the conference as a
must go for individuals, governments and companies interested in doing
business in Africa, the Carribean and the United States. Current Mayor of
Oakland, CA and former Congressman Ron Dellums articulated the
“HIV/AIDS Marshall plan” for Africa at the conference in 1998. Mayor Dellums is a former co-convener of the conference.
One of the highlights of this year's conference will be a presentation by
Integraph Corporation, a Georgia based multi billion dollar corporation
that specializes in building and servicing power plants, planes and
computers.
The conference will feature workshops that will:
- Examine the challenges many African and Carribean nations face in
delivering resources to HIV/AIDS stricken populations.
- Examine the fundamental issues of determining how to engage in a
care and treatment effort where there is no healthcare delivery
system, no hospitals, clinics of safe roads.
- Examine the key factors of successfully conducting trade between
Afro-Carribean nations and Southeastern United states.
- Share insights and information gained by participants who have
first hand experience in international healthcare and business
partnerships.
- Examine the global implications of China's economic expansion in
Africa.
- Examine the problems between the Pharmaceutical industry and
several nations as regards patenting and licensing of generic drugs,
particularly China, India, and South Africa.
- Examine the issues and methodology of drug delivery partnerships
with Pharmaceutical companies
- Examine how to invest in Sudan, South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana,
Mozambique, Senegal, Haiti, Jamaica, China, India.
- Examine the implications of the crises in Darfur
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