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NEWS/tC)e Cliatliitte $a$t
Thursday, June 30, 2005
Summit forges ties between U.S., Africa
By Roderick C. Willis
.AFRO NE\^'SRAPERS *
BALTIMORE — Dr. Lenox
Dingle, a Baltimore surgeon,
decided to close his practice
earfier this year after more
than 30 years. Sweeping
changes in the HMO system,
rising medical malpractice
insiu'ance premiums and
escalating costs, among other
conditions, were factors in his
decision.
At 58, he is considered to be
still relatively young, and has
a wealth of knowledge and
experience that could be
used.
Din^e may have found the
inspiration, the drive and the
economic incentive to rekin
dle his medical practice this
week in an imexpected place:
the fifth biennial U.S.-
Afiican Business Summit,
held earlier this month at the
Baltimore Marriott
Wateiftont.
Attending a meeting with
dignitaries fi^m the Republic
of Guinea, Dingle was
informed that the northwest
Afiica nation has many pub
lic health problems to over
come, especially with the
delivery of health care and
the strug^e to contain the
spreading HIV/AIDS virus
and other contagious diseases
— problems he could play a
part in solving.
‘This U.S.-Afiican Business
Summit has created a
tremendous opportunity to
link African-American physi
cians, health care practition
ers, businesses and technolo
gy to the continent,” said
Dingle, who recaitly formed
a non-profit. The African
Diaspora Medical Project
Inc., to develop health pro
jects in Afiica.
‘There are so many needs
in the area of health care that
.can be addressed by forming
partnerships, and there are
many African-American
physicians and health care
professionals that can play a
role in transforming the way
health care is delivered,”
Din^e said.
The summit was sponsored
by The Corporate Council of
America, whose members
represent nearly 85 percent
of the total U.S private-sector
investment in Afiica. Since
1993, CCA has been the lead
ing American organization
dedicated to enhancing trade
and investment relations
between the United States
and the 54 countries of Afiica.
CCA’s decision to hold the
summit in Baltimore is due to
the vision of Maiydand Lt.
Gov. Michael S. Steele.
Energized by his 2004 trade
mission to Ghana and South
Afiica, and inspired by the
opportunities that existed for
trade and strategic partner
ships between Maryland
businesses and institutions,
Steele, along with Gk)v.
Robert L. Ehrlich, invited
CCA to hold the summit in
Baltimore rather than
Washington, D.C., its usual
venue.
‘We are tremendously
pleased that CCA accepted
our invitation to come to
Marjiand to hold its sum
mit,” said Steele. ‘Marjdand
businesses should seize this
golden opportunity to make
contacts and to start to per
ceive itself as part of the ^ob-
al market. I am especially
encouraged to see African-
American business partici
pating in this summit. I have
been told a number of times
by African business and gov
ernment officials that the
fiiture of Afiica rests with its
connectivity to African-
American businesses and
American technology”
Dingle met with Dr. Djene
Saran Camara, minister of
industry, commerce and
small business for the
Republic of Guinea, which
lies immediately west of
Liberia and touches paits of
Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast).
Unrest in those nations has
sent thousands of refugees
into the Republic of Guinea,
which must provide ti’eat-
ment for the spread of infec
tious diseases and a number
of other health problems
Dingle and Camara dis
cussed ways that Dingle
might assemble a number of
physicians and health care
providers to resolve the
nation’s health care prob-
Ictos.
‘’Our nation is strug^ing to
become a part of the new
global economy,” said
Camara. ‘Tlaving met with
Dr. Dingle and other
American businessmen, I am
confidant that part of our
solution rests with the estab-
hshment of relationships
with Afirican-American busi
nesspeople who care about
our fate. American technolo
gy, and the historical linkages
between Africans on the con
tinent and African-
Americans, could be a power
ful force to resolve many
problems.”
The conference begsin with
a dinner reception hosted by
the Baltimore President’s
Roimdtable. The reception
turned into a networking
bonanza for businesspeople
and government officials rep
resenting nations in Afiica.
The dinner was followed by
a black-tie gala in the
Marriott’s Grand Ballroom.
The speakers induded Steele;
W. Prank Foimtain, a senior
vice president for
DaimlerChyrsler Corp.;
Mayor Martin O’Malley;
Jean Ping, president of the
UN General Assembly and
Tbodoro Obiang Nguema
Mbasogo, president of the
Republic of Equatorial
Guinea.
The summit held several
workshops on finance, trade
and partnering governments,
companies and non-govem-
mental organizations to
ensure that investments are
managed to yield a positive
impact on surrounding com
munities.
There wei^e also workshops
on how African agriculture
can impact economic growth
through polides that foster
appropriate technology guar
antee property ri^ts to pro
mote investment, expand
access to financing and
improve market access.
HIV/AIDS was discussed in
a separate workshop called
‘P?eality and Perception: The
Status of Health in Afiica and
the Impact on Investment.”
The workshop discussed the
current real status of
HIV/AIDS and related health
care issues in Afiica, and
addi’essed public and private
strategies to improve condi
tions and mitigate invest
ment risk.
Dr. Robert Gallop, director
of the Institute of Human
"Virology spoke to the group
about research being pre
formed to find a cm*e for
HIV/AIDS, and how to imple
ment strategies to contain its
spread.
Site visits to the corporate
headquarters of some of the
members of The President’s
Roundtable were aiTanged
for African government and
corporate offidals.
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