{"id":1046,"date":"2016-09-16T17:14:00","date_gmt":"2016-09-16T17:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ubagroup.com\/57-marina\/2016\/09\/16\/changing-narrative-on-africa-in\/"},"modified":"2020-09-02T20:23:57","modified_gmt":"2020-09-02T20:23:57","slug":"changing-narrative-on-africa-in","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ubagroup.com\/57-marina\/changing-narrative-on-africa-in\/","title":{"rendered":"Changing the Narrative on Africa in a Changing Administration-Tony O. Elumelu"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"center\"><span class=\"s2\"><b><i><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 18.0pt;\">CHANGING<br \/>\nTHE NARRATIVE ON AFRICA IN A CHANGING ADMINISTRATION<\/span><\/i><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 14.4pt; text-align: center;\" align=\"center\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-line-height-alt: 14.4pt; text-align: center;\" align=\"center\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 18.0pt;\">delivered<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"s5\" style=\"line-height: 16.2pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;\" align=\"center\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"s5\" style=\"margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 16.2pt; text-align: center;\" align=\"center\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 18.0pt;\">By<br \/>\nTony O. Elumelu, CON,<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"s5\" style=\"line-height: 16.2pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;\" align=\"center\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"s5\" style=\"margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 16.2pt; text-align: center;\" align=\"center\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 18.0pt;\">at<br \/>\nthe<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"s5\" style=\"line-height: 16.2pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;\" align=\"center\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"text-align: center;\" align=\"center\"><b><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 18.0pt;\">Opportunity<br \/>\nAfrica Conference<\/span><\/b><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-line-height-alt: 14.4pt; text-align: center;\" align=\"center\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 18.0pt;\">Wilmington,<br \/>\nDelaware, USA<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 12.6pt; text-align: center;\" align=\"center\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"mso-line-height-alt: 12.6pt; text-align: center;\" align=\"center\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 18.0pt;\">Friday, September<br \/>\n16, 2016<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"separator\" style=\"clear: both; text-align: center;\"><a style=\"margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ubagroup.com\/57-marina\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/09\/TonyElumeluOfficialPicture-1-682x1024.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ubagroup.com\/57-marina\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2016\/09\/TonyElumeluOfficialPicture-1-682x1024.jpg\" width=\"426\" height=\"640\" border=\"0\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 18.0pt;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"s5\" style=\"line-height: 16.2pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"s5\" style=\"line-height: 16.2pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"color: #c00000; font-family: 'wingdings'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">Senator Christopher<br \/>\nCoons<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">Former State<br \/>\nRepresentative Don Blakey;<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">Distinguished speakers and guests;<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpLast\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">Ladies and Gentlemen.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"s9\" style=\"line-height: 110%; text-align: justify; margin: 0in 0in 0in 2.25pt;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">I am delighted to be<br \/>\nwith you this morning for the fifth <i>\u2018Opportunity Africa <\/i>Conference.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\" style=\"line-height: 110%; text-indent: -27pt;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"color: #c00000; font-family: 'wingdings'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\" style=\"line-height: 110%; text-indent: -27pt;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"color: #c00000; font-family: 'wingdings'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"bumpedfont15\" style=\"line-height: 110%; text-indent: -27pt;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">I want to start by<br \/>\nthanking Senator Chris Coons and his wonderful staff for inviting me to his<br \/>\nhome state to speak with his constituents.<br \/>\nI\u2019ve met with Senator Coons in Washington but nothing speaks more warmly<br \/>\nof friendship than an invitation to one\u2019s home.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"color: #c00000; font-family: 'wingdings'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">I also want to thank<br \/>\nyou, Senator for your commitment to the continent and people of Africa.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">I will start by<br \/>\nsaying that on the surface, Senator Coons and I appear very different.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">He was born and<br \/>\nraised in the United States, and I, in Nigeria.<br \/>\nHe has spent many years as a public sector leader, while I have focused<br \/>\nmy career almost exclusively in the private sector.\u00a0 And we have both achieved much success in our<br \/>\nchosen endeavours.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">However, if you look<br \/>\nmore closely, we are not so different.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">We were both born in<br \/>\n1963.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">And we share a deep<br \/>\nbelief in the inherent value and dignity of the African people and a commitment<br \/>\nto <i>DELIBERATELY<\/i> and <i>UNAPOLOGETICALLY<\/i>,<br \/>\nunlocking the potential of the continent.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">The Senator\u2019s<br \/>\ninterest in Africa, began as a student when he wrote critically about the Apartheid<br \/>\ngovernment in South Africa and the unfortunate U.S. foreign policy of <i>\u201cConstructive<br \/>\nEngagement\u201d <\/i>with this racist government and through his experiences, living<br \/>\nin Kenya.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">Both of these<br \/>\nexperiences influenced how he approached the concept of governance including in<br \/>\nthe United States itself, and caused him to change his political affiliation.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpLast\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">So, Africa <i><u>CHANGED YOU<\/u><\/i><u>,<\/u> Senator, <i>in<br \/>\na very fundamental way<\/i>, and now you are giving back by using your platform<br \/>\nin the U.S. Senate to help <i><u>CHANGE AFRICA<\/u><\/i> and to <i><u>CHANGE THE<br \/>\nNARRATIVE ABOUT AFRICA!<\/u><\/i><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 110%; text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">So, in a word, a key<br \/>\ntheme in the Senator\u2019s life has been \u201cCHANGE.\u201d In my life, the key theme, in a<br \/>\nword\u00a0is \u201cMADE.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpLast\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">I was born in Africa, educated in Africa and have spent<br \/>\nmy whole career working in Africa. \u00a0You<br \/>\nmight say, I was <i><u>MADE IN AFRICA<\/u><\/i> and <i><u>I MADE IT IN AFRICA!<\/u><\/i><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 110%; text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraph\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">And like the good Senator, I seek to<i> CHANGE THE<br \/>\nNARRATIVE ABOUT AFRICA from one of UNDERDEVELOPMENT and OVERWHELMING POVERTY to<br \/>\none of OPPORTUNITY AND PROSPERITY.<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 110%; text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">For too long and for<br \/>\ntoo many people the continent \u201cAfrica,\u201d evokes images of poverty, disease, hunger<br \/>\nand backwardness.\u00a0 Even worse these<br \/>\nimages conjure a sense of hopelessness!<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">People believed<br \/>\nsimilar things about China, Brazil and India not too long ago, but now that these<br \/>\ncountries are economic powerhouses, the narrative has changed.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">Senator Coons and I,<br \/>\nand I believe everyone here, want the same for Africa\u2019s 54 countries.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpLast\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">And yet it is true<br \/>\nthat, today, Africa is home to:<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 110%; text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"color: #c00000; font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">&#8211;<span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">Two thirds of the world\u2019s HIV\/AIDs infected persons<br \/>\nand 90% of its orphans;<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"color: #c00000; font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">&#8211;<span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">90 million kids who are out\u00a0of school;<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"color: #c00000; font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">&#8211;<span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">Over a dozen undemocratic or insufficiently<br \/>\ndemocratic governments;<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpLast\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"color: #c00000; font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">&#8211;<span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">Millions of people who are caught in civil<br \/>\nconflicts and vulnerable to starvation.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 110%; text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">Wanting<\/span><\/span><span class=\"s7\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\"> change should not blind us<br \/>\nto the current realities; indeed these facts should make us all ever more<br \/>\ncommitted to achieving change.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"s7\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">But that is not the whole<br \/>\nstory about Africa.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"color: #c00000; font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">&#8211;<span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">Africa is the cradle of mankind and ancient<br \/>\ncivilizations;<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"color: #c00000; font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">&#8211;<span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">it is home to amazing cultures, that have<br \/>\ntouched the world in music, art and literature;<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"color: #c00000; font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">&#8211;<span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">it gave us the extraordinary example of<br \/>\nNelson Mandela;<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"color: #c00000; font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">&#8211;<span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">However, most importantly for me, Africa is<br \/>\na continent of a generation of entrepreneurs.<br \/>\nHome probably to the largest group of entrepreneurs on this planet.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">Africa is also the<br \/>\nhome of a young and growing middle-class that has strong purchasing power. \u00a0A middle-class that likes baseball caps,<br \/>\niPhones, Kias, CNN and Beyonce. \u00a0In other<br \/>\nwords, in Africa lies a huge growing market for American products.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">Clearly, over the last<br \/>\ntwo decades, <i>something has been happening in Africa!<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><i><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">SUCCESS is happening<br \/>\nin Africa!<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><i><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">Opportunity is<br \/>\nhappening in Africa.<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">And I am living<br \/>\nproof of this!<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"color: #c00000; font-family: 'wingdings'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">I\u2019ve enjoyed success<br \/>\nin banking, but also in growing agricultural products for our people, providing<br \/>\nhealthcare, investing in power to drive our economy, resources that can bring<br \/>\nvalue to our continent.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><i><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">And ALL in Africa!<\/span><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">I have been very<br \/>\nsuccessful in these sectors using an economic philosophy I developed called<br \/>\nAfricapitalism.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><span style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , sans-serif; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27pt;\">Africapitalism<br \/>\nadvocates long-term investment in strategic sectors that generate both economic<br \/>\ndividends for investors <\/span><b style=\"font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27pt;\"><i>and<\/i><\/b><span style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , sans-serif; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27pt;\"> social dividends for society.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">So, I am a<br \/>\nsuccessful Africapitalist today, but I started out just like one of those young<br \/>\nmen and women in the clip you just saw of the beneficiaries of the Tony Elumelu<br \/>\nFoundation\u2019s $100 million Entrepreneurship Program.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><i><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">The <\/span><\/i><\/span><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">continent<i> of<br \/>\nAfrica has given me so much!<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">And I understand and embrace the responsibility<br \/>\nto GIVE BACK to the continent by PAYING IT FORWARD and creating more Tony Elumelus<br \/>\nto help transform Africa.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">Through<\/span><\/span><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\"> the Tony Elumelu Foundation\u2019s $100 million<br \/>\nEntrepreneurship Program, we seek to INSTITUTIONALISE LUCK and DEMOCRATISE<br \/>\nOPPORTUNITY by giving every budding or aspiring African entrepreneur the chance<br \/>\nto benefit from it. \u00a0It is open to all<br \/>\nAfrican citizens, regardless of age, gender, nationality or commercial sector.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">We are training,<br \/>\nmentoring and seeding 10,000 African business over the 10 years, creating 1<br \/>\nmillion new jobs and $10 billion in additional revenue across Africa in an<br \/>\neffort to ignite the economic transformation of Africa.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">These entrepreneurs<br \/>\nwill achieve financial success while creating home-grown solutions to local<br \/>\nproblems in core areas such as food, education, health, water and sanitation etc.,<br \/>\ndelivering African solutions to African problems.\u00a0 Or, in other words helping, to implement the<br \/>\nSustainable Development Goals from the private sector.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">This is the story I<br \/>\nwant to tell about Africa. \u00a0This is the<br \/>\nnew narrative of Africa.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">I travel all over<br \/>\nthe world, preaching that Africa is \u201c<i>OPPORTUNITY.\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">And if I am the<br \/>\nopportunity preacher then Senator Coons is the Choir Master because for the last<br \/>\n5 years, he has been organizing this conference that could not be more aptly<br \/>\nnamed and reflective of what is happening on the continent <i>\u201cOPPORTUNITY<br \/>\nAFRICA.\u201d<\/i><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">He is not only<br \/>\nbringing that message to Delaware, he is taking it to Washington DC.\u00a0 And he is demonstrating it through concrete<br \/>\npolicy actions.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"color: #c00000; font-family: 'wingdings'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">U.S. policy towards<br \/>\nAfrica has largely and steadily been improving since the late 1990s. \u00a0It&#8217;s not been perfect but it\u2019s gotten better with<br \/>\neach successive President since William Jefferson Clinton.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">Looking back, from<br \/>\nthe 1960&#8217;s through most of the 1980s, U.S. Foreign policy towards Africa<br \/>\nfocused on supporting despots in the Cold War alliances and then, following the<br \/>\ncollapse of the Soviet empire, wrote Africa off completely in the 1990s.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">However, during his<br \/>\nsecond term in the late 90s, President Clinton began to engage with the<br \/>\ncontinent and even came on a state visit to sub-Saharan Africa, something no<br \/>\nU.S. President had done in almost two decades.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"s7\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">It was also in the final<br \/>\nyear of the Clinton presidency that the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act was<br \/>\npassed, which helped to lay the foundation for a new US-Africa relationship; <\/span><\/span><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">one based not on<br \/>\nhumanitarian assistance, but on partnership for mutual economic benefit \u2013 and<br \/>\none that allows entrepreneurship to be the engine of social development.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpLast\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">President George W.<br \/>\nBush built on this with the AGOA renewals and enhancements and the creation of<br \/>\nthe <i>Millennium Challenge Account<\/i> which was a multi-billion dollar programme<br \/>\nto incentivise African countries to embrace democratic reforms and govern<br \/>\njustly, in return for US assistance to develop their infrastructure and<br \/>\ncommercial sectors.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 110%; text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">President Bush must also<br \/>\nbe credited for the multi-billion global AIDS program that has helped to keep<br \/>\nmillions of HIV-infected persons healthy and by extension Africa\u2019s workforce and<br \/>\neconomies healthy.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">President Barack Obama<br \/>\nupheld the previous initiatives and created the Feed the Future Global Food<br \/>\nSecurity programme to boost agriculture in 20 countries, a sector that delivers<br \/>\n3 times the development gains as any other investment in development and of<br \/>\ncourse, he created the <i>Power Africa<\/i> initiative, which seeks to expand<br \/>\naccess to electricity for the 600 million African who lack access to power<br \/>\ntoday, through public and private sector partnerships, an agenda that Senator<br \/>\nCoons championed to preserve, through passage of the Electrify Africa Act in<br \/>\nthe U.S. Senate.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">And it had leveraged<br \/>\nnearly $150 billion in private capital to address this critical development<br \/>\nissues.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">That is what I call<br \/>\n\u201cShared Purpose,\u201d a key characteristic of Africapitalism.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">And I know that <i>if<br \/>\nwe get power right in Africa<\/i>, it will unlock millions of new jobs and<br \/>\neconomic growth in multiple sectors by reducing the cost of doing business and<br \/>\nattracting new investments.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><span style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , sans-serif; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27pt;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><span style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , sans-serif; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27pt;\">So, U.S. policy<br \/>\ntowards Africa over the last two decades has been improving, regardless of<br \/>\nwhich party has held the presidency.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">As you go into your<br \/>\npresidential elections this year, I urge Americans to ensure that the<br \/>\ncandidates and new Administration seek to build on this progress.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">Both candidates are<br \/>\npromising change in key policy areas, especially in the foreign policy arena.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">But I want to say to<br \/>\nyou today, that SOME THINGS DON&#8217;T NEED TO CHANGE! <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">What they need is to<br \/>\nbe expanded and scaled up.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">In other words, we<br \/>\nneed MORE U.S. engagement in Africa through mutually beneficial trade and<br \/>\ninvestment.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\" style=\"line-height: 110%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27pt;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"color: #c00000; font-family: 'wingdings'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\" style=\"line-height: 110%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27pt;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"color: #c00000; font-family: 'wingdings'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\" style=\"line-height: 110%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27pt;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"color: #c00000; font-family: 'wingdings'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"bumpedfont15\" style=\"line-height: 110%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27pt;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">Incidentally, that<br \/>\nis exactly what I, and 200 other US and African political and business leaders,<br \/>\nwill be discussing next week at the US-Africa Business Forum in New York &#8211; how<br \/>\nto strengthen mutually beneficial economic ties between the African and<br \/>\nAmerican peoples.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">We also need more<br \/>\nsecurity cooperation that protects both Americans and Africans from the undesirable<br \/>\nelements of this world \u2013 and where the root cause of poverty, that I believe<br \/>\ncan only be truly fought by giving people the economic tools to better<br \/>\nthemselves.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\" style=\"line-height: 110%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27pt;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"color: #c00000; font-family: 'wingdings'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><span class=\"bumpedfont15\" style=\"line-height: 110%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27pt;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">And, very<br \/>\nimportantly, we need to work in <i>\u201cShared Purpose\u201d<\/i> on complex solutions to<br \/>\ncomplex challenges in Africa.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">So when you meet,<br \/>\nwrite, call and email your political candidates and representatives, of all<br \/>\nraces, and the elected President in November, tell them that when it comes to<br \/>\nAfrica, you want \u201cMore.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">By \u201cMore\u201d, I mean<br \/>\nmore engagement, more positively impactful policies and more development and<br \/>\ncommercial investment in Africa.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">In closing, I want<br \/>\nto thank you all for coming out today to <i>EXPLORE AND FURTHER OPPORTUNITY IN<br \/>\nAFRICA<\/i>. <\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">I am an unashamed<br \/>\noptimist and I believe that working together, in <i>\u201cShared Purpose\u201d <\/i>we can<br \/>\nhelp usher in economic transformation that will catapult Africa into a strong regional<br \/>\nplayer in the 21st century global economy.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">And going back to the defining themes that illustrate<br \/>\nthe impact that Africa has had on Senator Coons and myself, I believe that we will<br \/>\ncollectively be able to look back, in 2030, and know that while Africa \u201cMADE<br \/>\nUS\u201d or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blogger.com\/null\" name=\"_GoBack\"><\/a>\u201cCHANGED US,\u201d we have together \u201cMADE CHANGE\u201d<br \/>\nhappen in Africa and for Africans, through a virtuous cycle of opportunity and<br \/>\nprosperity.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoListParagraphCxSpLast\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-left: 27.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27.0pt;\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">Thank<br \/>\nyou.<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 110%; text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 110%; text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"line-height: 110%; text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"s17\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><b><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">Tony O. Elumelu,<\/span><\/b><\/span><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.5pt; line-height: 110%;\"> CON<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"s17\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 110%;\">Chairman,<br \/>\nHeirs Holdings &amp; Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"s17\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"s19\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">Twitter:<br \/>\n@TonyOElumelu and Instagram @TonyOElumelu<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"s19\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">Twitter:<br \/>\n@Heirs_Holdings and Instagram: @HeirsHoldings<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"s19\" style=\"line-height: 110%; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"bumpedfont15\"><span lang=\"EN-GB\" style=\"font-family: 'tahoma' , 'sans-serif'; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 110%;\">Twitter:<br \/>\n@TonyElumeluFDN and Instagram: @TonyElumeluFoundation<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>CHANGING THE NARRATIVE ON AFRICA IN A CHANGING ADMINISTRATION delivered By Tony O. Elumelu, CON, at the Opportunity Africa Conference Wilmington, Delaware, USA Friday, September 16, 2016 \u00a0 \u00a0Senator Christopher Coons Former State Representative Don Blakey; Distinguished speakers and guests; Ladies and Gentlemen. I am delighted to be with you this morning for the fifth [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":38,"featured_media":1718,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[102,325],"class_list":["post-1046","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lion-king","tag-entrepreneurship","tag-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.6 (Yoast SEO v24.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Changing the Narrative on Africa in a Changing Administration-Tony O. 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