Business
There is new-found interest in Africa: Will African Americans bite?
Have you noticed all the current efforts to promote business opportunities in Africa? Have you wondered how now, all of a sudden, politicians are placing so much emphasis on Africa? Have you seen and heard about conferences and initiatives taking place across the United States that stress the importance of business connections with Africa?
Why is this happening now? Why is Africa so vital to American interests now?
In Cincinnati recently, a U.S.-Africa business conference was held to “showcase U.S. business expertise to African clients and to highlight trade and investment opportunities in Africa to U.S. exporters and investors.” Johnnie Carson, the assistant secretary of state for African affairs, was there to talk about those opportunities. In an interview, Carson stated, “For American companies, Africa provides a fast-growing consumer market, and forecasts anticipate Africa will be home to seven of the 10 fastest-growing economies over the next five years.”
But what about African Americans? For many years, African Americans have known about the opportunities that are now being paraded before us. Leaders such as Booker T. Washington and Marcus Garvey advocated for African-African-American business relationships, but we failed to take them seriously and follow through. Now we face being left behind and last to the table again.