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Access Africa Conference Agenda
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ACCESS AFRICA CONFERENCE Investments, Incentives and Opportunities
International
Trade Office, 1515 Arch Street - 18th Floor, Philadelphia PA 19102 Thursday, September 25th, 2008 from 08:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. AGENDA
Welcome and Introduction: Vuyo
T. Dunjwa, Director—Marketing
and Public Relations, USKCC
AGOA Overview: Christine
Martey-Ochola, President, USKCC
AGOA
Deep Dive Workshops :
Paul
Ryberg, President, African Coalition for Trade
Trade Resources: Carol Brooks, International
Trade Manager, Philadelphia Trade Office, US Dept of Commerce Tony Ceballos, Director, US Commercial Service (USEAC), US Department
of Commerce
Kenya Overview, OIBD Objectives & Incentives
for Businesses: Joe Burke, Senior International Program Manager, Office of International
Business Development Alain Mortha, Global Operations Director, Office of International Business Development
Harambee
Endeavor Report: Africa Opportunities Okendo Lewis Gayle, President,
Harambee Endeavor Prince Soko, VP, Harambee Endeavor
AGENDA
08:30-09:00
Continental Breakfast / Networking 09:00-09:45 AGOA Overview 09:45-10:00
Networking Break 10:00-12:00 AGOA Workshop 12:00-13:00
Lunch 13:00-13:30 AGOA Workshop Conclusions 13:30-14:00 Kenya
Overview, OIBD Objectives & Incentives for Businesses 14:00-16:00
Harambee Endeavor Report: African Opportunities Agenda is subject to change.
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PRESENTER BIOGRAPHIES Paul Ryberg Jr., President, African
Coalition for Trade
Paul Ryberg, Jr. is a founding partner in the Washington, D.C. law firm of Ryberg and
Smith, L.L.C., where his practice focuses on international trade law, including in particular trade between Africa and the
United States. Mr. Ryberg’s law practice also includes advising clients on WTO and NAFTA matters, agricultural
trade (including sugar in particular), textile and apparel trade, Customs issues affecting a variety of products and import
programs, and lobbying Congress on trade legislation. Mr. Ryberg is President and a Director of the African Coalition for Trade (ACT), a non-profit trade
association of African private sector entities dedicated to expanding U.S.-Africa trade ties. In addition, Mr. Ryberg
has also served as the President of the Mauritius-U.S. Business Association (MUSBA). MUSBA is the bilateral chamber
of commerce between Mauritius and the United States. Mr. Ryberg has been a featured speaker or expert panelist at numerous
conferences and seminars on international trade law, including in Botswana, Cameroon, Fiji, Hong Kong, Korea, Madagascar,
Mauritius, South Africa, Swaziland, Taiwan, Uganda and at various locations in the United States. Mr. Ryberg is widely
recognized as one of the leading experts on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). Mr. Ryberg
was a featured speaker at a series of AGOA trade capacity building conferences sponsored by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
in Cameroon and Uganda in March 2002. He was also the lead speaker at a series of 11 seminars on AGOA presented by ACT in
2000 and 2001 at various locations in five countries in southern Africa. Mr. Ryberg is the author of numerous articles
on U.S.-Africa trade and investment and on AGOA in particular in various publications including Fashion Business International
(UK), Industry Focus (Mauritius), PROSI (Mauritius), Pursuit (South Africa) and Traders (SADC region). Mr. Ryberg is
also the editor of the U.S.-Africa Trade Report. Mr. Ryberg is an honors graduate of Harvard Law School (J.D. cum laude 1977) and Wichita State University
(B.A. summa cum laude 1974). He was born in Salina, Kansas, USA in 1952.
Carol Brooks, International
Trade Manager and Diplomatic Liaison, Philadelphia Trade Office, US Department of Commerce
Since January
1993, Carol Brooks worked in the City of Philadelphia Department of Commerce and is the Manager of International Trade and
Diplomatic Liaison. Ms. Brooks oversees diplomatic protocol and trade activity. She helped establish the International
Division and the Philadelphia Trade Office for the City of Philadelphia Department of Commerce.
In 1997, Ms.
Brooks was appointed to serve as the City/State partner for the Export Import Bank of the United States to market their export
insurance and financial products and services to the business community. In addition to her major responsibilities,
Ms. Brooks serves as a board member of the Japan American Society of Greater Philadelphia, the Jamaica Trade Council of Greater
Philadelphia, the Mayors Commission on African and Caribbean Immigrant Affairs, the Philadelphia High School Business Academy
and the Greater Philadelphia Health Care Congress. Additionally, she is one of the founders and members of the Protocol
& Diplomacy International. Ms. Brooks has traveled to various countries in Africa, Asia, Central America and Europe. She
has over 18 years of professional experience in economic development policy making and implementation. Ms. Brooks received
her Masters in Government Administration from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor of Art in Urban and Regional
Planning from the University of Pittsburgh.
Tony Ceballos, Director of the Philadelphia U.S. Export Assistance Center, Department
of Commercial Services (USEAC)
As the Director of the Philadelphia U.S. Export Assistance Center, Tony
Ceballos oversees programs in Pennsylvania and Delaware, which provide customized overseas services to evaluate global opportunities,
identify and qualify potential business partners. Mr. Ceballos also establishes program partnerships with state and federal
agencies and other public and private sector entities to create an efficient export assistance network for U.S. companies.
Mr. Ceballos transferred from the West Los Angeles office, where he developed the services sector-a primary industry concentration
in the LA area. Prior to Los Angeles, Mr. Ceballos was based in the Ontario, CA where he assisted rural based companies in
Riverside and San Bernardino counties access USFCS services. Mr. Ceballos received his Master’s of Arts in International
Studies from the Claremont Graduate University. Mr. Ceballos also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a Minor
in International Relations from the University of California, Riverside.
Mr. Ceballos is also a candidate
of Commerce’s 2008 Executive Leadership Development Program. Professional accomplishments include Service Act Awards
for top performance in assisting exporters facilitate overseas sales and Team Collaboration awards from the Deputy Assistant
Secretary.
Alain Mortha, Global Operations Director, Office of International Business Development
A Graduate from Penn State University, Alain received his M.B.A with a concentration in Finance in 2003. Prior to
Penn State University, Alain received a Masters in Economic Development and a Masters in Business Management both from the
University of Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso. Alain also received a post-masters degree in Taxation from the Regional School
of Finances in Burkina Faso.
Alain joined the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through the Pennsylvania Management Associate Program
in 2006. Alain is currently the Director of Global Operations and is in charge of managing the budget, the international
contracts, the Export 2000 Grants, the Market Access Grants and the Go Global Grants.
Okendo Lewis Gayle,
President, Harambee Endeavor
Bio - coming soon
Prince Soko, VP, Harambee Endeavor
Bio - coming soon
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