“U.S. to The Gambia Export Initiative”

January 26 - 28, 2011 - Hotel St. Regis, Detroit, Michigan

Attended by more than 120 participants and focused on key economic sectors of The Gambia, including alternative energy, light manufacturing and infrastructure. The conference also focused on available instruments for project finance by both Fifth Third Bank of Michigan and Trust Bank of The Gambia.

(L-R sitting): Mr. B. Brogan - V.P 5th 3rd Bank; Hon. Alieu Ngum - Ambassador The Gambia Embassy DC; Mr. L. Green - CEO African Business Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) ; Mr. Y. Kamara - V.P ABCC (L-R standing): Mr. Dodou Nyang - Marketing Manager Trust Bank of The Gambia; Mr. E. K. Etim - Program Director ABCC; Ms. S. Coulter - Director of U.S. Commercial Service Detroit, Mr. A. S. Secka - CEO The Gambia Chamber of Commerce & Industry; E. Lerman - U.S. Commercial Service and Mr. B. Roberts - Director The Gambia Investment Export Agency.

The conference brought together senior US and African private sector and government officials; key decision-makers from Gambia including the Gambian Ambassador in Washington DC, His Excellency Alieu Momodou Ngum; the CEO of the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Abdul Saalam Secka; the Director of the Gambia Investment Export Promotion Agency, the Marketing Manager of Trust Bank Gambia Ltd and other business delegates from The Gambia. Other Directors were, Detroit US Export Assistance Center, US Department of Commerce (USDOC), the Vice President of Fifth Third Bank – International Trade Finance, Lee Green, the CEO African Business Chamber of Commerce, Yusupha Kamara, the vice president and members of African Business Chamber of Commerce, Michigan companies, institutions and organizations.

There were two days of industrial tour after the conference. The Gambian delegates made a tour to US$60M Cement Plant and Wayne State University Research and Park Business Incubator Center, which housed 259 companies in Detroit, Michigan with two energy companies.

The conference presented attendees with the infrastructure, trade, and investment opportunities, funding sources, energy, and ICT projects and financing, while providing a space for potential business partner formation through an array of networking opportunities.

The Success Stories

As part of the success, the Vice President of Fifth Third Bank of Michigan is in a working process to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Trust Bank Gambia Ltd to strengthen both International Trade Finance procedures for export/trade assistance between both countries. Partnership agreement was met between IC DATACOM, a Michigan based Computer Networking System Engineering Company and Richardson Enterprise, a Gambian-based Information Technology Company. Furthermore, Richardson Enterprise registered a branch with the State of Michigan. Other Gambian businesses are in the process of following up through the African Chamber of Commerce leadership.

Town Hall Meeting With The Gambian Association of Michigan

On Friday evening, January 28th, 2011, Hon. Alieu Ngum, the Gambian Ambassador to the US, met with the Gambian Diaspora of Michigan (Gambian Association) during the Town Hall meeting and addressed them on methods by which the business community in general and the Gambian Diaspora entrepreneurs in particular can be mobilized to play an active role in the development of their countries of origin.