Whitman School holds “Africa: The Untapped Market” to launch new Africa Business Program

Monday, October 13, 2008, By News Staff

Amy Mehringer
(315) 3834

The Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University will launch its new Africa Business Program with a half-day of events and discussions, “Africa: The Untapped Market,” on Oct. 17.

The day begins at 10:45 a.m. in Room 402 of the Whitman School building with clips from the film “Africa: Open for Business” by director and producer Carol Pineau. Pineau will lead a question-and-answer session after the clips, discussing her inspiration for the movie, and what she learned during its making.

A panel discussion will follow at 11:15 a.m., featuring Cyrille Oguin, ambassador of Benin; Perezi Kamunanwire, ambassador of Uganda; and Joanie Mahoney, county executive of Onondaga County. At noon, the event concludes in the Milton Room with a keynote address by Florizelle Liser, the assistant U.S. trade representative for Africa.

“The Whitman School, through its Kiebach Center for International Business Studies, has a long history of examining business in other parts of the world,” says Melvin T. Stith, dean of the Whitman School. “Africa is truly an untapped market, ripe with opportunities and underestimated in terms of its potential. We are honored to have such distinguished guests—from Central New York, Washington, D.C., and two rising African countries—help us celebrate the beginnings of this program, which we are confident will have lasting impact on our students and our community.

Whitman’s new Africa Business Program will be administered by the Kiebach Center, which is the recipient of a two-year, $177,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s International Business and Education program to promote doing business with sub-Saharan Africa.

Whitman’s program will work with businesses in Central New York to make a significant connection to the business possibilities in many African countries and work with Whitman faculty and students to explore the marketplace potential in Africa. The program will be the joint responsibility of the Kiebach Center, the Central New York Technology Development Organization (CNYTDO) and the Central New York International Business Alliance (CNYIBA). It is also supported by the County of Onondaga Division of Economic Development and the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce.

“Africa: The Untapped Market” is free and open to the public. Reservations are required. Paid public parking is available in the University Avenue Garage.

To R.S.V.P. or for more information about the event, contact Agnes Magnarelli at (315) 443-1383 or ahmagnar@syr.edu.

All media inquiries can be directed to Amy Mehringer, Whitman communications manager, at (315) 443-3834 or aemehrin@syr.edu.