The 10th Ethiopian Diaspora Business Forum & Award Dinner

10th Ethiopian Diaspora Business Forum & Awards Dinner to be held on August 1st, in Washington DC, and August 13th in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The 10th Ethiopian Diaspora Business Forum (Forum) will be held on August 1, 2015 at The George Washington University and the 5th Pioneer Ethiopian Diaspora Business Person of Year Awards Dinner will be held on August 13, 2015 at the Sheraton Addis, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, respectively.

This year’s Forum is truly a special one — it is the 10th year anniversary of the Forum. Much has happened since the first days of the Forum where a few businessmen and professionals under the banner of The Ethiopian American, an online magazine, organized a conference to promote entrepreneurship in the Diaspora community. Over the years, the Forum has attracted and touched over 10,000 entrepreneurs and professionals through its various activities it directly or indirectly organized, including a trade fare during the 5th year anniversary where we brought 15 Ethiopian business who cater to the Diaspora community to Washington DC, held various business plan competitions and organized Private Equity Pitch to connect businesses with investors.

Indeed, ten years is an important milestone in the life of any organization. As part of the 10th year celebration, the Forum will hold various regional consultations and meetings across the United States. The first of these meetings was held in November 2014 in New York and we plan to hold another such meeting in Los Angeles in September. As such, the Forum will celebrate this unique and important milestone by holding the annual events both in Washington DC, the home of the Forum, and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

This year’s Forum will focus on “Investing in Ethiopia’s Untapped Healthcare Sector.” Speakers from the medical equipment, laboratory, pharmaceutical and medical input manufacturers will discuss the state of the healthcare business in Ethiopia and the opportunities it presents to investors. The annual special print issue of The Ethiopian American also covers the intricate business elements of the various healthcare sectors in Ethiopia and immense potential the sector presents to investors.

The 2015 Ethiopian Diaspora Pioneer Businessperson of the Year Award will be in Addis on August 13 at the Sheraton Addis as part of the first Diaspora Week celebration in Addis Ababa. The Selection Committee is currently in the process of voting and an awardee will be announced soon. Past Pioneer Ethiopian Diaspora Business Person of the Year awardee include, Zemedeneh Nigatu, Managing Partner, Ernst & Young; Tadios G. Belete, CEO, Boston Partners; Ermias Amelga, former CEO of Access Capital, Amman Fissehazion, CEO of Ethiopian Broadcasting Service (EBS) in recognition of his pioneering leadership in establishing the first Ethiopian commercial global satellite Television company; Munir Duri, CEO, Kifiya Financial Technologies PLC and Daniel Gizaw, CEO, dVentus PLC

The Forum and Awards Dinners are expected to attract a large number of Ethiopians from the Diaspora and Ethiopia as well as American businesses and professionals who are interested in business and investment opportunities in Ethiopian and the U.S. We have invited and expect officials from the United States and Ethiopian Government to speak both at the Forum and Awards Dinner.

“The 10th year anniversary is a special mile stone for the Forum and all of its members, supporters and sponsors. Hence, the Forum and Awards Dinner will be celebrated in a special way befitting the occasion,” said Yohannes Assefa, Executive Director of the Forum.

The Forum will be covered by EBS and will be viewed by 26 million Ethiopians all over the world.

The Ethiopian Airlines, Ernst & Young Ethiopia, The George Washington University, Kifiya Financial Technologies PLC, Altour Tech, Info Mind Solutions, EBS, 251 Communication, Precise Consult International are some of the sponsors of this year’s Forum.

About The Ethiopian Diaspora Business Forum

The Ethiopian Diaspora Business Forum is organized by The Ethiopian American, a US based Ethiopian Diaspora business and investment group with offices in New York. The Ethiopian American was first established as non-partisan, professional business publication in 2004 by a group of young Diaspora professionals to create a positive and non-political platform devoted to the issue of business and investment in the Ethiopian Diaspora community.

In June 2005, the magazine organized the first Ethiopian Diaspora Business Forum (the “Forum”) with the generous financial support of USAID/VEGA Ethiopian AGOA + and several Diaspora businesses. Over the years, the Forum served as a key platform for Diaspora discussions on many important issues such as trade and investment in Ethiopia and the United States, the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA), business environment and related regulatory affairs. Seven years later, the Forum has grown and continues to grow strong in every aspect by empowering the Diaspora business community with valuable information and enabling the community to participate in Ethiopia’s economy and development in a meaningful way.

This year, organizers are publishing the second annual full length event magazine covering many issues of interest for the Diaspora business community. The magazine will be distributed for free both in the U.S. and Ethiopia. As in the past three years, the Forum will also be covered by EBS.

Contacts:
in the U.S. Yohannes Assefa – Phone: 202-999-7369 – Email:yohannes@theethiopianamerican.com

in Ethiopia: Omer Redi – +251-91-260-2178 (Ethiopia) – omer@theethiopianamerican.com