Florrie Reiser, President and CEO of the Corporate Council of Africa (CCA), had the honor of representing CCA as part of President Joseph Biden's official delegation to Angola. President Biden visited Angola from December 1 to 4, 2024, in order to fulfill his commitment to visit Africa at the U.S.-Africa Summit in December 2022. Other members of the delegation also included heads of civil society organizations such as the NAACP and the National Council of Black Women, women whose families can trace their ancestry to slaves taken from Angola in the 1600s; Executive Director of the Smithsonian Institution, Representatives of Smithsonian Institution Member Companies Heads of the President's Advisory Committee on Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA) and key USG agencies that advance U.S.-Africa investment and business (Including Export-Import Bank, MCC, and USTDA). After completing a historical tour of Luanda and the Anthropological Museum, the delegation took part in an official welcome ceremony for President Biden by President Lorenzo at the “Palace” and met with President Biden, during which President Biden He greeted the members of the delegation and talked about the following: His historic visit to Angola was the first by a sitting U.S. president, and his first (and last) visit to Africa as a U.S. president.
During his visit, President Biden visited the Lobito Corridor infrastructure project, which will enhance regional trade, improve access to critical minerals, and strengthen food security. He was appointed by the regional Heads of State of Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia, the Vice President of Tanzania, as well as several CCA member companies investing in the project, including African Finance Corporation (AFC), Akrow Bridge and Sun Africa. He also met with business leaders. . During the summit, President Biden pledged new U.S. funding and commitments of more than $560 million, which is expected to generate an additional $200 million in private sector capital and bring total U.S. investment to this transformation. This represents more than $4 billion of the $6 billion mobilized for the project. project. The project literally captured the imagination of many, with the aim of incorporating Africa into global value chains that will be a key element of the world's transition to clean energy. U.S. assistance in building commercially viable transportation corridors will spur major investments in mining and mineral processing, energy storage and manufacturing of batteries for electric vehicles in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The African Enterprise Council is pleased to co-host a reception to celebrate the Lobito Corridor Summit with our Angolan Government partner, the Agency for the Promotion of Private Investment and Export (AIPEX). We had a great night of culture and music, food and dance, business leaders, and government officials from Angolan and the United States. Check out the highlights from the reception.
The reception was officially opened by AIPEX President Arlindo das Chagas Rangel, who shared President Lorenzo's vision to transform Angola into a beacon of investment, regional connections and opportunities. Samaira Zubair, President and CEO of Africa Finance Corporation and lead developer of the Lobito Corridor project, said: “This is a significant moment in demonstrating what is possible in Africa. ” he said. Helaina Matsa, Global Infrastructure Partnership Coordinator (PGI), who has led efforts to promote the Lobito Economic Corridor with Angola, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, spoke about the importance of the U.S. government's investment and the success of the Lobito Corridor. It will serve as a model for infrastructure investment across the continent. Molly Fee, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of the U.S. government's continued commitment and success in expanding these projects in Africa. CCA President Florrie Reiser said the 2025 U.S.-Africa Business Summit will bring together investors, business leaders, and government officials from across Africa and the United States to collaborate, build relationships, and unlock business and economic opportunities. He emphasized the strong partnership with the Angolan government to expand. It will be held in Luanda from June 23-27, 2025. Click here to watch the summit teaser video.
As with all great CCA events, we would like to thank our valued sponsors for making this event possible: Citi, BAI, Sun Africa, Cybastion, Africell, African Finance Corporation, NGSER, and ABD Group.
