This was an African National Conference for chamber of commerce executives, private sector business leaders and government representatives gathered to strengthen the business structure of themselves and to do better business among themselves. This was a conference of Africa taking priority in getting their business home in order first and foremost. So what did I learn in the eight hour days of intense comprehensive meetings and lectures, timely breaks for networking, delicious conference lunches and dinners? West African countries are not only aware of the importance of their image outside of Africa, they are taking aggressive steps to collaborate, organize and implement business protocols for their own countries. I was the only American among over 400 delegates representing 16 African countries. In my 15 years experience of attending, speaking and organizing national conferences for Fortune 500 companies, I have never seen such organization, comprehensive subjects, and focused attendance for every session for all three days of the conference. I spent 10 days in Africa. Five days in Dakar Senegal and five days in Banjul The Gambia. Both capitals of their respected countries. The conference I attended was in The Gambia at The Kairaba Beach Hotel right off the Atlantic Ocean. Words cannot describe this Resort (please see pictures).

The conference was hosted by the West African Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FEWACCI).
FEWACCI is an organization of all the National Chambers of Commerce and Industry in the 16 countries of the West African ECOWAS region. It interacts with both national and local governments to promote the development of the private sector. FEWACCI is a branch of ECOWAS, (Economic Community of West African States). ECOWAS is an African regional group of 16 West African Countries founded on May 28, 1975. FEWACCI is a major facilitator of private sector businesses and ECOWAS facilitates government and states. Both entities have committed to a partnership with the African Business Chamber of Commerce-USA (ABCC). Besides having numerous meetings with delegates from countries such as Mali, Benin, Guinea-Bissau(where I may have found my ancestry country), Nigeria, Ghana, The Gambia, Sierra-Leone, Togo ect. ect. I was granted a one on one brief meeting with the Vice President of The Gambia, Her Excellency Dr. Isatou Njie-Saidy, she encouraged me to meet with the Women Entrepreneurs of The Gambia because they had a great potential for business. I did meet with them. (see website abchamberofcommerce.org.) In regards to Africans in the Diaspora of America, I met with one of the most visionary persons on America and Africa business relationships that I have ever met in my life. We talked for hours. His name is Dr. A.A. Roberts, he is the Executive Secretary/CEO of NEPAD Business Group- Nigeria. He helped me confirm a vision that my ABCC partner Edward Etim and I have shared for over 7 years. The vision of the potential power within the African Diaspora of America. More details to come.

Meeting Her Excellency of The Gambia, FEWACCI Executives and ECOWAS and NEPAD leaders was enough to make my trip a total success. But that was just the beginning.

Allow me to paraphrase. Nine different African Chamber of Commerce delegates took me aside and made specific request about what there specific business needs were that they preferred from America. In Dakar, Senegal it almost appears that for every one old building, there are four new ones in construction. Its like Dakar is building a whole new city. The rural straw huts and villages I witnessed on my 6-hour automobile travel from Senegal to The Gambia (yes there are highways for travel) I saw electricity poles the entire route. What I also saw was cell phone towers about every ten miles. And one of the most amazing things I saw was Solar Panels attached to Straw housing and massive rural cement construction. In The Gambia the fastest growing industry appears to be banking. There are banks everywhere in the Gambia with ATM machines attached. Banks only exist where there is cash flow. The tourism industry in The Gambia and Senegal will change your life. The average tourism visit for vacationers in Africa (not including Americans) is four weeks. Europeans make up 70% of the African tourism (see website pictures). Americans make up less than 3%. Africans have great respect for America and in many conversations America was the first choice for international partnerships. I was constantly asked, "why is America not competing with the rest of the world here in Africa." I could only answer by saying it starts now. Any African American that ever wanted to visit Africa, it is your rite of passage on this earth. You owe it to yourself. ABCC can help you. But for all Americans, Africa is a one of a kind positive experience.

In retrospect, I can say with my first experience visiting the Continent of Africa, I was extremely blessed to have Edward Etim a Nigerian working in America and Yusupha Kamara a Gambian in America, setting up my trip, arranging room and board, making my African business appointments, schooling me on the do's and donts of the culture, updating my family on my where abouts, introducing me to very important people, giving me credibility among Africa people and helping me plan on how to share the potential business partnerships between Africa and America with America.

Consider viewing more photographs on the website for more insight of my trip.

Lee Green
Sr. Executive Director/CEO
African Business Chamber of Commerce

NEPAD
The New Partnership For Africa's Development

ECOWAS
Economic Countries Of West African States

FEWACCI
Federation Of West African Chamber Of Commerce And Industries