East-West Business Forum 2013: Emerging Africa

Vision:

Economic, trade and investment relations between the Czech Republic and the African region require joint efforts to effectively preserve them and guarantee their stability and prosperity.

The conference will open a new period of mutual relations in the respective fields having ambition to become an integral part of actions aiming at further development of trade and financial cooperation.

The conference will open the door for future long-term cooperation of financial institutions in order to support common projects in the Czech Republic and African countries, as well as on the third markets of common interest.

Last but not least, the conference will give a new and unique opportunity to strengthen the concrete dialog of entrepreneurs and bankers, discuss the ways of developing economic and investment cooperation and establish new business contacts.

Objectives:

The conference will bring together government officials responsible for business and foreign trade, key business representatives, bankers, professional associations and trade & investment agencies from both sides in order to open new opportunities for mutual trade and investment.

It will create a general platform for discussion about possibilities of further development of commercial, economic and financial cooperation between the Czech Republic and the African countries. The dialog will focus on:

• exchange of views and experience on economic and investment opportunities,
• extension of cooperation in all areas of trade and investment
• seeking to overcome obstacles and difficulties in the process of enhancement of mutual cooperation,
• improving knowledge of opportunities for further development of mutual trade and investment relations.

Who Should Attend:

Day One: Wednesday 25th September

Venue: Czernin Palace (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Loretánské nám. 5, Prague 1

8:00 - 9:00
Registration

Moderated by: Michal Mejstřík, Chairman of ICC Czech Republic, Member of National Economic Council of Czech Government

9:00 - 10:30
PANEL I: EMERGING AFRICA

• Opening Dignitaries Jiří Rusnok, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic (TBC) Jan Kohout, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic (TBC) Jiří Cienciala, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic (TBC) Přemysl Sobotka, First Vice-President of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic Other ministers and honorary guests from Africa
• Trade and Investment Cooperation, Financing Trade between the Czech Republic and African Countries: Potential and Challenges Michal Mejstřík, Chairman of ICC Czech Republic, Member of National Economic Council of Czech Government Michal Nebeský, Managing Director Czech Republic & Slovakia, Citibank Europe plc Partners, sponsors and honorary speakers from Africa

10:30 – 11:00
Coffee Break

11:00 - 13:00
PANEL II: GOVERNMENT INITIATIVES AND BUSINESS PROSPECTS IN AFRICA

• Overview of Economic Development on the African Continent, Capacity Building Representative of OECD (African Economic Outlook)
• Analytical Mapping of Competences and Opportunities for Development
• Role of the Czech Embassies Abroad (signal verification, assistance provided to Czech investors) Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Czech Export Bank – Project Financing of Investment Opportunities, Cooperation with MFA Jiří Klumpar, Chief Executive Officer, Czech Export Bank a.s.
• EGAP: Insuring Export of Czech Companies Jan Procházka, Chief Executive Officer, EGAP a.s.
• CzechTrade Supporting African Opportunities
• Success Story
  Hamé s.r.o.

13:00 - 14:00
Buffett lunch

14:00 - 15:00
PANEL III: DOING BUSINESS IN AFRICA, KEY SECTORS FOR CZECH TRADE AND INVESTMENT

• Agribusiness, Water Treatment, Medical, Textile etc. Opportunities in African Countries Foreign speakers – Senegal, Rwanda, Gabon, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco etc.
• Presentations by Czech Companies/Institutions from Agribusiness/Water/Medical/Textile etc. Sector Josef Novák, Director General, VEBA, textilní závody a.s.
• Q&A

15:00 - 16:00
PANEL IV: DOING BUSINESS IN AFRICA, KEY SECTORS FOR CZECH TRADE AND INVESTMENT

• Energy, Oil, Gas, Machinery and Engineering Projects and Opportunities in African Countries Bhavik Jayendrakumar Shah, Chief Executive Officer, Niveda Group Foreign speakers – Egypt, Ethiopia, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, South Africa etc.
• Presentations by Czech Companies/Institutions from Energy/Machinery Sector ZVU Potez B.G.M. export, a.s.
• Q&A

16:00 - 16:30
Coffee Break

16:30 – 18:00
PANEL V: FINANCING TRADE IN AFRICAN REGION
Moderated by: Eva Anderová, Deputy Minister of Finance of the Czech Republic (Section International Relations and Financial Policies)

• Financing Trade and Projects in African Region Representative of the World Bank (IBRD) Rudolf Putz, Deputy Director Financial Institutions, Head Trade Facilitation Programme (TFP), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Klára Krolová, EBRD Jose Morte Molina, African Development Bank Representative of European Investment Bank Michal Nebeský, Managing Director Czech Republic&Slovakia, Citibank Europe plc
• Legal Terms for Financing Trade in Africa Tom Eldridge, Partner, Dentons
• Q&A
• Closing Remarks

18:00 - 20:00
Reception
Venue: Czernin palace (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Day Two: Thursday 26 September

Venue: ICC Czech Republic, Thunovská 12, Prague 1

PANEL I: CONDITIONS OF DOING BUSINESS IN AFRICAN REGION (TRADE, FINANCE, LOGISTICS) - RWANDA

PANEL II: MATCHMAKING MEETINGS, NETWORKING

Project Manager

Ms. Petronela Chomova
Tel. No.: +420 725 485 723
E-mail: chomova@icc-cr.cz