By Jonathan Lois
A South East region-wide Business and Investment Summit is to take place in Enugu, later this year.
The Executive Secretary of the Summit Organizing Committee, Dr. Ifedi Okwenna, said the Summit is primed to reestablish partnership and cooperation among the five sub-national governments of the South East, to stimulate growth in trade, commerce and investments in the zone.
The public/private sector structured initiative is pioneered by Continental Export Development Nigeria with state governments in the region.
It is in collaboration with the Nigeria Diaspora Groups and clusters of investment Communities in Europe and America; some City Chambers of Commerce across the South East; and other bilateral and multi-lateral chambers.
It is planned to be an annual reunion meeting of government/policy leaders, investors and businesses from diverse sectors across the globe, to promote business and investments and stimulate growth in the economy of South East, Nigeria.
Okwenna said the Summit will utilize the enterprising, deeply knowledgeable and creative entrepreneurs of the South East extraction to evolve robust region-wide private public sector partnership schemes to build wealth, alleviate poverty, create employment in South East, enhance productivity and development of the Eastern hinterland.
He said the Summit will “ultimately attract increase in investment at home by South Easterners and increase remittances into South East States by those in the Diaspora”
This year’s Edition of the Summit with Theme “Remaking the South East as Economic Powerhouse” according to Okwenna will focus on agriculture and manufacturing and will address the prevailing hunger and impending starvation in the South East and Nigeria in general.
He said that a USD200 million investment portfolio is targeted for South East in agriculture and manufacturing alone, over the next three years.
The Summit which will take place between 11th and 13th December, 2024 is expected to bring together more than 1000 businessmen and women, investors and change makers from across the globe.
Dr Okwenna, stated that a number of investors from the Americas, the Caribbeans, Europe, the Middle East and China have already indicated interests to participate at the event.
Activities proposed at the Summit we gathered include, Premium Business Conference session, Panel Discussion, One-on-One Business Meetings, Signing of Memorandum of Understanding and the famed South East Business Award Gala.
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