We commenced with a warm welcome to the country's capital on Day 1. Our Ottawa program was followed by 2-days in downtown to Toronto. The conference itinerary for members included a Parliamentary visit and engagements with key business and industry associations in Canada.
Retired Ambassador Paula Caldwell St-Onge, Chair of the Board, welcomed delegates, from Prime Ministers and Ministers, to CEOs of companies, entrepreneurs and Heads of Mission at African companies."We thank our private sector sponsors who have made this 3-day program and dozens like it a reality over three decades" said Caldwell St-Onge. "We don't seek government funding and will continue the next 30-years of work, by accelerating market-driven solutions for trade and investment, through world-class networking and information-sharing events".
"We thus afford special thanks to the generous support of our Headline Sponsor, Elephant Trade-Services DRC, alongside Major Sponsors of Africa Accelerating 2024, including 6ix, B2Gold, Bishworld, Bramex, Cypher Environmental, Hatch, EY, Lambano Full Services, Goodmans LLP and MineAfrica Inc, as well as our media partner, APO Group."
This year Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's message to delegates highlighted the important ties between Canada and African markets .The welcome from the Prime Minster of Canada is a tradition of many years, going back to Prime Minister Harper, and especially pertinent on the Occasion of our 30th Anniversary this year.
Prime Minister Judith Tuluka Suminwa of the Democratic Republic of Congo underscored the importance of ties between Canada and African markets, with specific reference to DRC - ahead of the Africa Accelerating 2025 conference taking place in the country next November.
Canadian Minister of International Development, Honourable Ahmed Hussen, described Canada's recent commitments during the Opening Ceremony, which were highlighted earlier this month, and included the Canada-Africa Chamber - African Union Bilateral and VIP Reception in Toronto.
Headline sponsor Gabriel Tshitende, CEO of Elephant Trade-Services DRC announced his continued sponsorship of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business, as well as programs in Kinshasa and Kolwezi next year, commending the leadership of Prime Minister Judith Tuluka Suminwa and Governor of the Lualaba Province, Fifi Masuka Saini, following this year's High-Level Visit to the DRC in February, followed by the 4-day Mission to Ontario in June. Elephant Trade-Services DRC company co-founder Nathalie Tshala Kadiombo was in attendance at this year's Africa Accelerating.
Neil Reeder of B2Gold delivered this year's keynote address on the work of the company in Namibia and Mali. B2Gold is an international senior gold producer headquartered in Vancouver, with mines in Namibia and Mali. The firm has taken best practice from the continent and applied it to the new mine in southwestern Nunavut, approximately 520 kilometers northeast of Yellowknife.
Following Mr. Reeder's address Chamber President Garreth Bloor sat down with Catalyste+ CEO, Wendy Harris, for a discussion on the opportunities to work with the organization's business development services. The organization works in emerging markets and with indigenous communities in Canada, to "strengthen skills and competencies to increase local capacity and grow economies".
The first panel of the day was held by Global Affairs, moderated by Caroline Delany, Director General, Southern, Eastern and Central Africa Bureau. The panel welcomed Caroline Marrs: Director of International Partnerships at Colleges and Institutes Canada, Sam Landon, Senior Director of Programs at WUSC and Audra Renyi, Founder and CEO of Ear Access. Each panelist described their work in African markets.
Our second of 8 panels over the three days welcomed Deepak Dave, Senior Advisor, Autonomi Capital and former CRO, ATIDI and Steve Tipman, Executive Director, TFO Canada. Deepak Dave commented on positive trends on the continent in financing opportunities: "We are seeing deals on the continent, with a strong local financing component, that we would not have seen ten years ago".
After lunch Todd Burns, CEO, Cypher Environmental, addressed his company's work on sustainability as a ‘model’ for Canada-Africa business leadership and excellence, which was followed by an interview covered regulatory considerations in respect of enabling market-driven solutions to environmental sustainability. The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business was proud to once again congratulate Cypher Environmental, in collaboration with B2Gold, for their Cypher Green Roads® initiative - recognized as one of Canada’s Clean50 2024 Top Project award winners.
Greg Goldhawk, Retired Ambassador and Advisor, Greg Goldhawk, addressed his long-standing commitments to African markets. Following a distinguished career, concluding as Senior Trade Commissioner to several SADC markets, Greg currently serves on the international committee of PDAC, the world's massive mining convention in Toronto that brings together up to 30,000 attendees each year - from over 130 countries. Together with MineAfrica Inc, The Canada-Africa Chamber is pleased to host the largest Africa-focused mining event in the Americas during PDAC.
Chamber President Garreth Bloor concluded the Chamber's Day 1 program commending all involved in 30 years of accelerating trade and investment, including past president, Bruce Shapiro.
Greg Goldhawk, Retired Ambassador and Advisor, Greg Goldhawk, addressed his long-standing commitments to African markets. Following a distinguished career, concluding as Senior Trade Commissioner to several SADC markets, Greg currently serves on the international committee of PDAC, the world's massive mining convention in Toronto that brings together up to 30,000 attendees each year - from over 130 countries. Together with MineAfrica Inc, The Canada-Africa Chamber is pleased to host the largest Africa-focused mining event in the Americas during PDAC.
Day 3's final presentation Accelerating Global Education welcomed Dr. Preetee Gopee-Vandenbroeke, Director, Transnational Projects And Business Development at Centennial College, the newest member of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business. Centennial began as Ontario's first ever community college and today offers over 400 diploma, degree, and certificate programs.
Chamber President Garreth Bloor concluded the Chamber's Day 1 program commending all involved in 30 years of accelerating trade and investment, including past president, Bruce Shapiro.
The plenary sessions on Day 1 were followed by a Parliamentary Visit - hosted by the Office of the Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development - as well a VIP Sponsors Dinner at the Rideau Club - to which we were honoured to welcome Andrew Smith, newly-appointed Director General for Pan-African Affairs.
In addition to the Prime Minister of the DRC and Her Excellency's official delegation, business delegations and representatives from Kolwezi, Goma and Winnipeg, were among those in attendance. We share our thanks with sponsors from each of these respective cities: headline sponsor Elephant Trade-Services, Bishworld SARL and Cypher Environmental.