The 11th Ethiopian Diaspora Business Forum which will be held on August 6 in Washington DC will discuss Ethiopia’s shift from agriculture to industrialization.
Holding under the theme “Exploring Ethiopia’s Industrialization Drive & Opportunities in Manufacturing” the Forum will bring together industrialization and manufacturing experts from Ethiopia, the Diaspora and other stakeholders for half day discussion.
As has been the trend over the past five consecutive years, the annual event will be followed by the Pioneer Diaspora Business Person of the Year Awards Dinner. The Awards event will be the sixth edition and the organizer, The Ethiopian American LLC, is already receiving nominations.
Both the Forum and Awards Dinner will be held at the City View Room, Elliott School of International Affairs of The George Washington University.
“We are excited by this year’s theme and group of extraordinary speakers who will share their experience in the manufacturing sector and way to find financing for projects,” said Yohannes Assefa, Executive Director of the Forum and Managing Director of the Ethiopian American LLC.
With various speakers drawn from the Ethiopian Diaspora community and beyond engaged in the manufacturing sector both in Ethiopia and in the U.S., either as researchers and industry experts or as practitioners, this year’s Forum will be marked by extensive discussions on the opportunities, challenges and potential partnership possibilities in the sector in Ethiopia.
Organized by The Ethiopian American LLC – a U.S-based Ethiopian Diaspora business and investment group – in collaboration with Ifriqiyah Media and Communications, Addis Ababa based communications and marketing partner for the Forum, the event hundreds of attracts business persons from the Ethiopian Diaspora community in the US and non-Ethiopian businesses who seek to explore opportunities in Ethiopia.
The key sponsors of the Forum this year include the Ethiopian Airlines, The George Washington University Business School, Eclipse Printing and Graphics, Fairfax Technologies Ethiopia Branch, AltourTech, Flawless Events, ET Real Estate Expo 2016 and American Medical Center among others. The Ethiopian Diaspora Business Forum and its annual magazine – The Ethiopian American – have for the past 10 years served the diaspora as reliable platforms to discuss opportunities and challenges of doing business in Ethiopia. More information about the Forum and Awards dinner, including about the speakers and awardees can be found at www.theethiopianamerican.com
About The Ethiopian Diaspora Business Forum
The Ethiopian Diaspora Business Forum is organized by The Ethiopian American, a Virginia based Ethiopian Diaspora business and investment group with offices in New York. The Ethiopian American was first established as non-partisan, professional business publication in 2004 by a group of young Diaspora professionals to create a positive and non-political platform devoted to the issue of business and investment in the Ethiopian Diaspora community.
In June 2005, the magazine organized the first Ethiopian Diaspora Business Forum (the “Forum”) with the generous financial support of USAID/VEGA Ethiopian AGOA + and several Diaspora businesses. Over the years, the Forum served as a key platform for Diaspora discussions on many important issues.
This year, organizers have published the 6th edition of full length event magazine covering many issues of interest for the Diaspora business community. The magazine is distributed for free both in the U.S. and Ethiopia.
About the Pioneer Diaspora Business Person of the Year Awards
Introduced at the 6th Ethiopian Diaspora Business Forum in 2011, the Pioneer Ethiopian Diaspora Business Person of the Year Awards is bestowed on Diaspora entrepreneurs who have introduced innovation/s in business that have significantly and positively affected business practices with long-term results in Ethiopia or in the Diaspora.