CCA's
South African Business Linkage Program Extended
and Expanded through 2004
WASHINGTON, DC: The
Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) is proud to
announce the expansion and extension of its
South African International Business Linkages
(SAIBL) Program. SAIBL, designed to strengthen
trade and investment partnerships between U.S.
companies and historically disadvantaged South
African businesses, will launch its two new
components, the Promoting Agribusiness Linkages
(PAL) program and a Regional Trade Pilot
Project, for 2002-2004.
The SAIBL program,
funded by the U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID), is implemented in
partnership by CCA and Ebony Consulting
International based out of Johannesburg, South
Africa. The program has generated more than
US$185 million in business transactions for
South African and U.S. companies in less than
five years and helped create more than 5,000
jobs. As of June 2002, 4,896 firms had accessed
SAIBL's services.
"The SAIBL program has
been a major vehicle for expanding U.S.
commercial relationships with smaller sized
South African companies over the last several
years," said CCA President Stephen Hayes. "Its
expansion is a testament to its
success."
The agribusiness sector
is a crucial element of South African economic
and private sector development. The new PAL
Project will facilitate networks and linkages
between historically disadvantaged smallholder
farmers and larger, more mainstream,
agribusiness markets.
While up to this point
SAIBL has covered only South Africa, its
Regional Pilot initiative will enable the South
African firms and the U.S. private sector
entities to capitalize on the ever-expanding
business and integration taking place between
South Africa its neighboring countries.
Botswana, Tanzania and Zambia will be the target
countries. SAIBL's focus on AGOA is also
highlighted by the recent addition of an AGOA
program coordinator to the Johannesburg
office.
CCA, established in 1992,
is a nonpartisan 501 (c) (3) membership
organization of nearly 150 American corporations
dedicated to strengthening the commercial
relationship between the United States and
Africa. CCA members represent nearly 85 percent
of total U.S. private sector investments in
Africa.
CCA's website is at www.africacncl.org
The Corporate Council on
Africa, 1100 17th Street, NW
Suite 1100 Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 835-1115 Fax (202) 835-1117
www.africacncl.org
