Africa's Search for Success

Hosted by: ACCESS AIIA Victoria

The event will start on: Thursday, 21 October 2010 5:30 PM

And will end on: Thursday, 21 October 2010 7:30 PM

At Dyason House

124 Jolimont Road East , Melbourne Victoria

03 9654 7271     events.vic@aiia.asn.au

Posted by: vic   

An ACCESS event open to all:

A panel discussion with African community leader Dr Berhan Ahmed, Assoc. Prof. Di Fleming, anti-poverty activist Mr Elliot Costello, Hon. Consul-General of Ethiopia Mr Graham Romanes, and businessman Dr Kwame Asumadu.

Africa struggles with a reputation as a continent mired in poverty, corruption, tribalism, unscrupulous political leadership and conflict.  Its challenges are indeed immense.  But beyond the headlines lies a region that is rich in the resilience and resourcefulness of its people.  Their entrepreneurial zeal has helped to give a number of countries a new start in recent times, even as much of the rest of the world has slipped back.

The global consulting firm McKinsey reported this year that the rate of return of foreign investment in Africa is currently higher than any other developing region.  It boasts many untapped resources, rapidly growing consumption rates, and a potential for boom as demand for commodities soars.  This positive trend is evident in 40 African companies identified by the Boston Consulting Group a few weeks ago as bold new global challengers - a sign that the continent is on the way towards reaching its potential in some key areas of activity.

To debate Africa's achievements, as well as its challenges, ACCESS is pleased to welcome a panel of four Africa specialists:

Dr Berhan Ahmed, Victorian Australian of the Year 2009, chairs the African Think Tank in Australia and is known to many Victorians through his commitment to numerous community issues. 

Assoc. Prof. Di Fleming is president of the Australia Africa Business Council (Vic), director of Accelerated Knowledge Technologies Pty Ltd, and a board member of the Victorian Government’s Growth Areas Authority.  She is an international education and technology consultant with associate professorships at RMIT and the University of Melbourne in digital design and education respectively.  She won the Telstra Business Woman of the Year Award (Vic) and AusIndustry national winner 1998/9. 

Mr Elliot Costello co-founded YGAP (Y-Generation against Poverty) in 2008, an organisation which provides innovative, practical opportunities for young Australians to be involved in community development.  He is also director of the Kinfolk Cafe, an exciting social business at 673 Bourke St, Melbourne.  His passion is centred on mobilising volunteers to help eliminate the impact of poverty in developing communities around the world. 

Mr Graham Romanes, Hon. Consul-General of Ethiopia, started his career as a missionary in Africa and worked for what is now Oxfam Australia for more than 22 years.  He holds a Master of Diplomacy and Trade degree and runs ethiopia.com.au, a shop in Fitzroy that promotes and sells Ethiopian Fairtrade coffee and African beads. 

Dr Kwame Asumadu is founder of Asumadu & Associates, a business development and natural resource management consulting firm.  He has more than 30 years of experience in strategy and policy development.  The Government of Guyana and the ANZ Bank are among his clients.

If you plan to attend this function, please tell us at least 1 day before the event. 

Tickets payable at the door :

• Students                         Free on presentation of a current student card
• All others                        $20