WTO, AfDB launch US – Africa relations promotion podcast series in Washington DC
Africa-USA Now, a new weekly video podcast that spotlights current events at the intersection of Africa and the United States has been launched.
The 10-week series comes on board at a pivotal time following the historic US-Africa Summit and the renewed commitment to partnership between Africa and the US.
The talk show featured African and American policymakers and experts examining issues around burgeoning trade and investment opportunities. The program is presented by the World Trade Center, Washington, DC (WTCDC), and is launched in partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB), Africa Investment Forum and AfricaGlobal Schaffer.
“This is an important program that will address roadblocks to engagement, highlight significant trade and investment opportunities, and hopefully change the narrative on Africa and the dynamic changes taking place on the continent,” said Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group, which is sponsoring the program.
“This is a must-watch series for international trade professionals and industry experts,” says Allyson McKithen, Executive Director of the World Trade Center in Washington, DC, which will distribute the program to the 320 World Trade Centers around the world, reaching over 715,000 businesses worldwide.
“We are proud to be a partner on this initiative, particularly as the World Trade Center Association looks towards our annual meeting this spring that will be held in Ghana, themed “Towards African Economic Integration and Enhanced Global Presence”, she added.
The show covers an evolving continent that is clearly on the move, from the new African Continental Free Trade Agreement to increased investment from China and other major economic powers, infrastructure enabling the free movement of goods and people, tech hubs leapfrogging forward, and a strong COVID response that has made Africans feel increasingly empowered. However, it also notes that despite the opportunities, the United States – the largest economy in the world – lags behind in investment and often overlooks Africa.
“This show fills a missing gap,” says Carol Pineau, host and producer of the program.
“Every day, events happen in Washington and the US that deeply affect Africa, but the media is often not connecting these actions to Africa. At the same time, Africa is rapidly evolving, and it’s in our strategic interest to understand these changes, especially with so much global competition out there,” adds Pineau.
Pineau is an award-winning filmmaker and journalist specializing in Africa for over 20 years. Her first documentary, Africa Open for Business, won the BBC Documentary of the Year and was part of changing the narrative on Africa in Western media. Her other films include Africa Investment Horizons, which launched at the New York Stock Exchange and was broadcasted throughout the world. Pineau has reported internationally and in the US for major media, including a posting in Africa with VOA and another with CNN.
Africa-USA Now launches Wednesday, February 15, 2023. Each episode of the inaugural 10-week season will focus on a singular topic and will feature a roundtable discussion with African and American government officials, investors, business leaders, journalists, academics, and other policy shapers.
“The U.S. needs to put more focus on engaging with Africa because it is in our interest to do so. We need to reset in addressing current realities so that we don’t end up locked out of critical resources, and growing opportunities and partnerships,” says Mima Nedelcovych, Chairman of AfricaGlobal Schaffer, a production partner of the program, who has invested throughout Africa for more than 40 years and sits on the African Advisory Committee of the U.S. Export-Import Bank.
Africa-USA Now is available on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and www.AfricaUSAnow.com. Viewers can subscribe, follow and comment on the show across all platforms.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
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