Delaware residents had a chance to learn some economies as they mixed it with influential businessmen near New Castle on Saturday.
The African African and Caribbean Commission in Delaware held the African Diaspora Finance and Investment Conference on Saturday morning until the afternoon. He was free to attend, and the planned speakers included Secretary of State Charuni Patibanda-Sanchez and the interconnection of the US Embassy of Sierra Leone. A little less than 100 people appeared.
The New Castle County County Marcus Henry executive was scheduled to attend, but sent the Director of New Castle County, Greg Goss, in his country due to a personal issue, according to his office spokesman.
President of the New County Council of the Monique Williams-John Castle was scheduled to participate, but did not do it. Williams-John had a conflict without another conference. Governor Matt Meyer sent a video played at the event, as he is currently in Washington, DC, at a National Association of Governors. Meyer’s office said he did not commit to being in the commission event in person.
The purpose of the event was to bring international and nationwide business leaders under one roof to the library and the Route 9 innovation center to educate people on financial responsibility, investment and networking.
Need rest? Play the puzzle of the daily crossword of the US to be.
A newcomers from the Delaware House of Representatives, Democrat Kamela Smith and Bear, said she was there because of culture.
“Culture brings me here,” Smith said. “Making sure we can simply keep the culture alive, and make sure they have a financial meaning so that they can have businesses here in our space.”
Keith Pettiford is the chairman of the commission and wanted people who participated to leave with a better understanding of the economy around him. He was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the questions and reactions he had already heard from the attendees. He was especially happy with how well the ingredients and their representatives in the state government were linked.
“They were thinking not only of themselves, but their business, their community,” he said.
After a morning of remarks and questions and answers, a network break, where people mixed over African, Caribbean and American cuisine gave everyone a chance to get to know each other. For a business owner like Linda Stewart, an American Kenyan immigrant operating Motomoto Kitchen, a Bear food business, was an opportunity to learn how to evolve her business.
“I’m just a kind of preparation to get it to the next level and just to grow business,” she said. “We’re doing it in part time, I and my son, but now I’m in the process of taking it to the next level.”
One of the guests of honor was Mohamed Kosia, the interconnection of the US Embassy of Sierra Leone. He had given remarks in the morning and then waited for an Q&A for the possible opportunities for the first state to establish an economic relationship with the West African nation.
Kosia said the low tax situations of both countries and their access to the ports make them a good match. He said Sierra Leone relies on many imports, but also has natural resources of gold, boxing and diamond that make it valuable. According to a study by Globaldata, Sierra Leone is the eighth largest diamond manufacturer in the world. Kosia said he and his colleagues met with the Secretary of State and are looking for more meetings.
“I think Sierra Leone is the most peaceful country in West Africa,” Kosia said. “So all those attributes are good attributes for businessmen who seek to invest because you don’t want to put your money in unstable business.”
(This story was updated to add information.)