May 2024
Dear Members and Friends,
With messages from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Hon. Mary Ng and Premier Doug Ford - among others - the Canada-Africa Chamber's contribution to Canada was celebrated this week.
Over 150 members and invited guests attended the 30 Year-Anniversary on Tuesday 7 May 2024, with a keynote address by Joe Lombard, Vice Chairman of Hatch, introduced by Past President, Bruce Shapiro. Gabriel Tshitende of Elephant Trade-Services DRC, and Founding Chair of the Chamber, Stephen Pincus, a Partner at Goodmans LLP, were among the speakers. The historic ballroom of the National Club of Toronto was adorned with portraits of past distinguished speakers - commemorating addresses by leaders over the past three decades, who have included Heads of State, captains of industry and world-leading think tanks.
Paula Caldwell St-Onge, Chair of the Board, opened the 30th Anniversary, underscoring this year's extensive programming - including but not limited to events in Toronto, Ottawa and Sudbury in Canada, as well as Nairobi, Kenya; Kolwezi, Democratic Republic of Congo; Harare, Zimbabwe and Cape Town, South Africa - in addition to the inaugural upcoming Canada-US Forum for African Partnerships in Washington, DC.
Mr. Gabriel Tshitende, founder and CEO of Elephant Trade-Services DRC, headline sponsor of the 30th Anniversary Program, delivered the official welcome - which included an invitation to attend Elephant Trade Services' February 2025 Investment Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This follows the success of this year's DRC Mission undertaken with the Canada-Africa Chamber of Business, showcasing major investment opportunities.
Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, thanked Chamber leaders for their contribution in remarks from her Ministerial Office in Ottawa.
Awards Ceremony
In recognition of their incredible support, four leading corporate members were recipients of our Major Supporter Award. Board Chair, Paula Caldwell St-Onge, Board Director Pierre Boivin and Vice President Ateau Zola, were pleased to present the awards:
- Goodmans LLP - received by Stephen Pincus (Partner)
- MineAfrica Inc - received by Wayne Floreani (President) and Bruce Shapiro (co-founder)
- Hatch - received by Joe Lombard (Vice Chair)
- Elephant Trade Services DRC- received by Gabriel Tshitende (Founder and CEO)
“Thank you to all who have made the last 30 years a success, in addition to those who’ve pledged today to writing the story of our next 30 years,” said Chamber President Garreth Bloor.
“I am delighted to announce that the headline sponsor of our 30-year anniversary programming writes that story with us as we step into the future: Elephant Trade-Services DRC has committed to 2025 headline sponsorship of our organization."
Karen Woolcock of KY Concierge, the Chamber's Senior Associate for In-Bound delegations, played a key role in the success of the program, together with her company's team.
More information on this week’s Anniversary Event can be found here, including links to upcoming events in North America and in African markets.
For information on joining the Canada-Africa Chamber of Business, click here.
We are in Sudbury!
For all traveling to Canada, as well as those in the country already, our the 30-Year Anniversary week includes the MineAfrica program currently underway in Sudbury. The Chamber is delighted to serve as a partner in the program of site visits, educational sessions and networking opportunities. Read More
Canada-Africa Business Forum on Canada-US Partnerships in African Markets. May 22 – 23rd , Washington, DC
Welcoming a Ministerial address, Members of Congress and business leaders and strategic thinkers, we look forward to convening in Washington, DC. Canada-US collaboration to accelerate private sector partnerships across African markets is an opportunity to enable broader collaboration.
If you are not a yet a member, we have a limited number of tickets for guests during our program on May 22nd in the United States – thanks to our sponsors. For those with a strong US connection, who have not yet joined the Chamber - please register your interest here. All attendees will receive their confirmations by email. Space is limited and we will do our best.
Toronto Roundtable on the Canada-Africa Business Conference in Nairobi, May 27, 2024
Following our February 2024 program in Nairobi, Kenya (above) we are delighted to host a roundtable in Toronto with PS Maninder Sidhu, Prime Minister Trudeau's Parliamentary Secretary to Canada's Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development.
The program begins at 2.30pm, following the African Union flag raising ceremony at the Ontario Provincial Legislature.
The purpose of the roundtable forum is to explore how we continue to deepen ties between Canada and African markets, ensuring businesses on both sides of the Atlantic are best positioned to succeed. Read More
Network Opportunities
Montreal: The Chair of the Board of Directors will be addressing the 6th edition of the Canada Africa Forum on Trade Investment in Montreal on 24 May 2024. More details on the program from the organizers are here, including registration for the event.
Nairobi: The African Development Bank is organizing the first in-person Business Opportunity Seminar since COVID-19 in Nairobi from May 27 to 31 . This is a great opportunity for Canadian companies to connect and network with Procurement and Sectors Heads, as well as officers. The Trade Commissioner Service will be helping Canadian companies in organizing one-on-one meetings and other networking events. Read More
Update: Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development
The House of Commons’ Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development invited the Canada-Africa Chamber of Business to appear as part of a panel of witnesses in view of its study of Canada’s Approach to Africa. The Chamber President and Board Chair presented the Chamber’s work on accelerating Canada-Africa trade and investment, including event programming with various markets and with the African Union, through the African Continental Free Trade Secretariat – to which Mr. Sebastian Spio-Garbrah serves as the Chamber’s Special Envoy on the continent. The presentation was followed by a Q&A session by the Parliamentarians on how best to deepen trade and investment with the Continent.
Media Updates
News from The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business is carried across hundreds of publications and numerous organizations, including by governments. Recent coverage include:
The Canada-Africa Chamber celebrates 30 years of Canada-Africa trade and investment [Adom Online]
Canadian Miners eye African expansion for transition minerals [African Business]
2nd Canada-Africa Business Conference highlighted in the Canadian Parliament
[Chamber News]
The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business delighted to announce Elephant Trade-Services DRC as headline sponsor during its 30-Year Anniversary
[African Business]
RECENT EVENTS: Quarter 1 Recap
25th Annual African Mining Breakfast and MineAfrica's 22nd Annual Investing in African Mining Seminar
26,926 people attended PDAC 2024 and it seemed like most of them were at our African events!
It was a great week in Toronto and we were delighted with the opportunity to showcase African markets mining investment destination of choice.
The energy and excitement for Africa was on full display at our sell-out breakfast, as well as MineAfrica's seminar and Africa pavilion at the PDAC Trade Show. Read More
2nd Canada-Africa Business Conference: 19-20 February 2024, Nairobi
The second Canada-Africa Business Conference, hosted on the invitation of H.E. President William Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya, was described as a 'great success' in the Canadian Parliament during Friday's sitting.
Working in partnership with the High Commission of Canada in Kenya, we were honoured to have been joined by PS Maninder Sidhu, Prime Minister Trudeau's Parliamentary Secretary to Canada's Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development.
Chamber President, Garreth Bloor, opened the conference by thanking Chamber Headline Sponsor, Elephant Trade-Services DRC and its CEO Gabriel Tshitende - echoed by Canada's Honourable Maninder Sidhu. Gold Sponsors included Cypher Environmental, Bramex Ltd and Hatch. Read More
DRC-Canada Leadership Visit to Lualaba: 8-10 February 2024, Kolwezi
The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business was privileged to welcome leading dignitaries, members and guests to our first-ever program in the Lualaba Province, to which we were warmly received by Governor Fifi Masuka Saini.
Chamber members, as world-class service providers and partners - including MineAfrica Inc and Collège Boréal - can serve as key to the development of Lualaba and the DRC as a whole. This reality was underscored during the program, which included the Canada-Lualaba Business Forum on Day 2, at the prestigious Katebi Beach Lodge overlooking Lake Nzilo.
The Chamber was honoured to recognize the attendance of Canada's recently-appointed Ambassador to the DRC, H.E. Maryse Guilbeault, during what was Her Excellency's first visit to the Lualaba Province as Ambassador. Read More
Annual Investing in African Mining Indaba, February 3-7, 2024: Cape Town
The Chamber was pleased to assist members attending the Annual Investing in African Mining Indaba. From February 3rd to 7th, we were on-hand to liaise for meetings and access to VIP events. Chamber President, Garreth Bloor, addressed attendees at the Canadian High Commissioner's VIP Reception on Sunday evening.
Paula Caldwell St-Onge, Chair of the Board; Gabriel Tshitende, CEO, Elephant Trade-Services DRC (headline sponsor); Ateau Zola, Vice President and Special Envoy to the DRC; Garreth Bloor, President of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business and Wayne Floreani, President of MineAfrica Inc
Presidents' Report - 2023 in Review
Following a successful year, the President's Report is available online - showcasing the people, companies and ideas that accelerated Canada-Africa trade and investment, through world-class networking and information-sharing events. Read it here
Best wishes from all of us!
Garreth Bloor (President), Ateau Zola (Vice President, Natural Resources), Susan Namulindwa (Vice President, Canada), Jacques NdoutouMvé (Vice President, Africa)
Sebastian Spio-Garbrah (Past Chair & AfCFTA Free Trade Unit, Accra), Ateau Zola (Senior Associate: Business Development), Mahvish Batool (Operations) Toye Abioye (Business Development and Partnerships) and Karen Woolcock (Senior Associate: In-Bound Delegations/KY Concierge)
About Us
President, Operations, Membeship, Vice Presidents and Associates (queries@canadaafrica.ca)
Board of Directors (board@canadaafrica.ca)
Council of Senior Advisors (council@canadaafrica.ca)
Chamber Fellows & McGill Mastercard Interns (partnerships@canadaafrica.ca / fellowships@canadaafrica.ca)
Think Tank Perspectives and Free Trade Unit (thinktank@canadaafrica.ca / freetrade@canadaafrica.ca)
For more information, please contact:
The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business Head Office
55 Bloor Street West, RTO Manulife Building, PO Box 19553
Toronto, Ontario M4W 3T9 Tel: 647-667-1223 Email:members@canadaafrica.ca