Elumelu asks Trump, Clinton to promote beneficial US-Africa trade

September 19, 2016 5:28 pm

Regulatory, compliance costs hindering growth of banking sector, says Tony Elumelu

Tony Elumelu, African business leader and chairman Heir Holdings, says Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump should work towards the promotion of beneficial US-Africa trade.

Speaking at the weekend in Delaware as the Keynote Speaker at the Chris Coons, a US senator’s Opportunity Africa Conference 2016, Elumelu urged the candidate not to change somethings on the US-Africa policy.

“What they need is to be expanded and scaled up. In other words, we need more U.S. engagement in Africa through mutually beneficial trade and investment,” he said

“That is exactly what I and 200 other US and African political and business leaders, including President Obama and over 30 African Presidents, will be discussing next week at the US-Africa Business Forum in New York- how to strengthen mutually beneficial economic ties between the African and American peoples.”

Elumelu, one of Africa’s leading entrepreneurs, said he was dedicating time and money to create a new generation of African business woman and men, and he would be committing $100m of his own money.

“If we give our people the economic tools to thrive, living standards increase, the political challenges that Africa faces can be tackled and fundamental positive change can be assured,” he said.

He‎ called on the next US president to work in shared purpose with Africans on implementing innovative solutions to the complex but surmountable challenges in Africa.

“When you meet, write, call and email your political candidates and representatives and the elected President in November, tell them that when it comes to Africa, you want ‘More,'” he told US voters.

“And by ‘More’, I mean more engagement, more positively impactful policies and more development and commercial investment in Africa.

“I am an unashamed optimist and I believe that working together, in shared purpose, which is what Africapitalism is about, we can help usher in economic transformation that will ensure Africa is a critical player in the 21st century global economy.”