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World Trade Center St. Louis (WTC), the international division of St. Louis Economic Development Partnership, hosted its annual Growing Global luncheon on September 24 with the event focusing on Africa as an up-and-coming trade and investment partner for St. Louis.
Speakers at the event included Arthur Asiimwe, deputy chief of mission for the Embassy of the Republic of Rwanda to the U.S., Elzandi Oosthuizen, senior vice president of the Head Enterprise Corn Product Team at Bayer Crop Science Division and Fred Swaniker, founder and CEO of Sand Technologies.
“America looks at Africa as a source of demand, but you should also look at Africa as a source of supply,” Swaniker said during the panel discussion. “One source is talent, and the second source is innovation. When you go to Africa, it opens your eyes to the innovation that is there.”
Africa, where the population is projected to nearly double to 2.5 billion people by 2050, is home to a young and entrepreneurial workforce poised to increase prosperity on the continent and around the world. Because of this, St. Louis views Africa as a future vibrant trading partner.
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