Preparations are now on top gear for the Summit
expected to take place at prestigious Calabar International convention Centre, under the patronage of the
state governor, Senator Prof. Ben Ayade.
The international collaboration and investors summit will have special focus on key areas including infrastructure,
Agriculture and Education, Health and technology, Security and International Cooperation investment.
In his pre-summit address and invitation to participating countries, bodies, organizations and individuals, Cross river governor, Senator Prof. Ben Ayade, explained that, “The Summit aims at providing a platform for Multi-lateral and Bi-lateral Development, partners as well as private sector and business leaders in Africa and the world in order to discuss a wide range of business and development issues in Cross River State and to engage with some of the most important economic partners and stakeholders in the fields of infrastructure, Agriculture, Health, Education, Security and Finance.
Ayade said that the summit will also provide government Ministries,Agencies and Departments, young creative persons as well as the private sector, the opportunity to introduce their projects to potential partners and have individual consultants, asserting that despite the falling oil prices and dwindling revenue, Cross River economy being one of Nigeria’s most enlightened states, have demonstrated to be robust and among the most attractive destinations for global investment.
“We have dug deeper into the wells of our creativity and hewn out a new pathway to greatness. Notwithstanding, there is a need for replicating our common efforts to develop economic cooperation and integration in order to achieve the development and progress to which our dear State desire. In the new Cross River of our DREAM, there is a place and hope for everyone. There will be jobs for the youths and prosperity for the working class.
Quoting copiously from his Inaugural speech of 2015, Ayade continued, “The resurgent middle class shall find anchor for their roots and everyone shall find independence and pride in their work. The wages of honest labour shall liberate families from the jaws of hardship and no child shall go to bed with an empty stomach. Neither shall any mother
be depressed by lack of access to Medicare for her children and loved ones.
This is what this Summit requires, the capacity to build a new Cross River State. This is what will give real meaning to our belief. We must all strive to focus our eyes beyond the horizons of the present difficulties and visualize a brighter day! And we must all do this…from the hills of Obanliku to the thick forests of Boki and from the Creeks of Bakassi to the Cocoa plantations of Ikom, we must join hands to plant the trees of HOPE and water the gardens of liberty!
Through this Submit, we aim to harness new ideas and technology to reconstruct our state, expand the means of production, increasing access to capital and catalyzing our value chain, reform our schools to guarantee first class education for our youths and empower our citizens with the skills they need to engage a brave new world!
The summit which is being organize under the Office of the Special Adviser on International Cooperation & Investment Governor’s Office, Calabar, Cross River, would be attended by Multi-lateral & Bi-lateral Development Partners such as the è World Bank Group, Embassy of Finland, Norwegian Embassy, Embassy of Netherlands, German Cooperation (GIZ), Islamic Development Bank (IDB), African Development Bank (AfDB), and US African Development Foundation.
Others are International Finance Corporation (IFC), The Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM), Embassy of the People’s
Republic of China, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), US Agency for International Development (USAID), Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA), Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), UK Department for International Development (UKDFID), Multi-lateral & Bi-lateral Institutions, and International Cooperation Investment as well as Nigerian Financial Institutions.
Also to attend the summit includes state, national and regional bodies and organizations such as, Policy makers, political leaders, and senior government officials, Business leaders – CEOs and C-Suite
executives, Entrepreneurs shaping the future of Cross River State, Leading women entrepreneurs and business leaders, Financial institutions, investment banks and financial service organizations,International organizations, multi-lateral and bi-lateral agencies, Advisory and professional services (consultants, analysts, legal experts, risk professionals, advisors), leaders of thought(economists, academics, think tanks), as well as Leading local, regional and international media organizations.
The high profile International Summit is carefully planned by the Ayade’s administration to wrap-up the first tenure of his leadership and usher in the second term which commences on May 29, 2019 on a high hope of what Cross Riverians, Nigerians and Africans would be expecting from Ayade.
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