SOUTHERN AFRICA PLUGGED BY YOUNG

BOTSWANA AND ZIMBABWE GOT UNEXPECTED PLUGS FROM ANDREW YOUNG, THE FORMER MAYOR OF ATLANTA AND U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS, AT A BREAKFAST MEETING HELD AT THE DEKALB CHAMBER OF COMMERCE DEC. 11 RECAPPING HIS NOVEMBER TRADE MISSION TO SOUTH AFRICA.

THE MISSION WAS HAILED AS A SUCCESS BY MR. YOUNG, WHO HEADED THE 15-MEMBER GROUP IN HIS CAPACITY AS CHAIRMAN OF THE METRO ATLANTA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS INCLUDING PEPE CUMMINGS, WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE CHAMBER’S INTERNATIONAL DIVISION.

WITH SOME OF ATLANTA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL BUSINESS EXECUTIVES PARTICIPATING IN THE MISSION, INCLUDING A.W. “BILL” DAHLBERG, CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF SOUTHERN CO., AND ODIE DONALD, PRESIDENT OF BELLSOUTH MOBILITY, RED CARPETS WERE REGULARLY ROLLED OUT IN JOHANNESBURG AND CAPE TOWN. MR. CUMMINGS STILL SEEMED SOMEWHAT IN AWE OF MR. YOUNG’S ABILITY “TO OPEN DOORS” THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY’S NATIONAL AND PROVINCIAL BUREAUCRACIES.

MR. YOUNG SPOKE FONDLY OF A CELEBRATION HELD IN A RURAL AREA HONORING THE SOUTH AFRICAN COUNCIL OF CHURCHES WHICH DURING THE PERIOD OF APARTHEID CAME TO THE DEFENSE OF YOUNG AFRICANS CONDEMNED FOR TREASON.  SEVERAL OF THE FORMER PRISONERS NOW ARE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, HE ADDED.

WHEN ASKED HOW TO FIND RELIABLE BUSINESS PARTNERS IN SOUTH AFRICA’S RURAL AREAS, MR. YOUNG REPLIED “THE CHURCHES ARE AS GOOD A NETWORK AS I KNOW.”  MR. CUMMINGS RECOMMENDED THAT INQUIRIES COULD BE MADE THROUGH THE GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACIES, EVEN AT THE TOWNSHIP LEVEL, AND THAT THE MISSION HAD DEVELOPED CONTACTS WITH A WIDE ARRAY OF OFFICIALS WHO COULD BE HELPFUL.

BUT MR. YOUNG ALSO SUGGESTED THAT ENTREPRENEURS LOOKING FOR TRAINED AFRICAN PARTNERS NOT LIMIT THEIR SEARCHES TO SOUTH AFRICA, BUT INVESTIGATE OTHER COUNTRIES IN SOUTHERN AFRICA, PARTICULARLY BOTSWANA AND ZIMBABWE.  THESE COUNTRIES, HE SAID, MAY BE DOING BETTER ECONOMICALLY AT THE MOMENT AND MAY EVEN HAVE GREATER RESERVES OF TRAINED MANPOWER.

TAPAN BANERJEE, ACTING DIRECTOR OF THE U.S. EXPORT ASSISTANCE CENTER, ATLANTA, PROVIDED AN OVERVIEW OF THE OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE IN SOUTH AFRICA’S DIFFERENT ECONOMIC SECTORS INCLUDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING.

DEKALB COUNTY’S AFRICAN TRADE CENTER WAS ALSO CITED AS AN IMPORTANT SOURCE OF INFORMATION, AND MR. CUMMINGS SAID THAT A SEARCH FOR A NEW MANAGER WAS IN PROGRESS.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL MR. CUMMINGS AT (404) 586-8460; FAX, (404) 657-1900.