|
Embassy of
Ethiopia, Washington DC
February 6,2012
Application
Deadline for African Diaspora Marketplace Extended to February 15th
Ecobank joins forces with Western Union
and USA
WASHINGTON & ENGLEWOOD, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
The
Western Union Company
(NYSE:WU -
News), a leader in global payment services,
its
Foundation,
and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
have extended the application deadline for the
African Diaspora Marketplace
to February 15, 2012. The ADM is an initiative that encourages sustainable
economic growth and employment by supporting U.S.-based diaspora
entrepreneurs with ideas for start-up and established businesses in Africa.
Western Union Agent and pan-African banking group Ecobank Group also
announces its intention to join the second
African Diaspora Marketplace
(ADM).
The
initiative will build on successes from the first African Diaspora
Marketplace held in 2010: focusing grants toward high priority, high-impact
sectors in Africa, including agribusiness, renewable energy, and information
and communication technology (ICT). Ecobank Group also supported the first
African Diaspora Marketplace.
“We
are delighted to bring Ecobank on board again for the second ADM,” said Aida
Diarra, Western Union regional vice president for North, Central and West
Africa. “Western Union and Ecobank have a long-standing relationship in
Africa and through this collaboration we are helping to tap the economic
potential of the 1.4 million Africans living in the U.S. The ADM will
strengthen and help satisfy demand for locally-produced products and
services by leveraging diaspora capital and resources.”
“Ecobank is pleased to support this initiative as it offers an opportunity
for us to partner with others who are committed to the economic development
of Africa,” said Arnold Ekpe, Group CEO of Ecobank Transnational
Incorporated (ETI), parent company of the Ecobank Group. “For us, the ADM
complements Ecobank’s mission of reaching out to the millions of Africans
residing abroad and encouraging them to invest in Africa’s future,” Ekpe
added.
George Washington University’s Center for International Business Education
and Research (CIBER) will provide research expertise and also evaluate the
initial phase of business proposals.
Twenty-one countries qualify for consideration - proposals need to be
submitted by February 15, 2012. The deadline was extended from February 3,
2012. Participating countries include Angola, Benin, Botswana, Cote
D’Ivoire, DRC, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Mali, Mozambique,
Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia,
Uganda and Zambia. The number of grants awarded will be determined based on
grant pool and program need, and is likely to be in the range of 15-30
businesses. The anticipated matched grant size is expected to be
approximately US $50,000.00, with an additional supplement of US
$25-50,000.00 in technical assistance.
Information about the ADM and how to apply can be found at
www.diasporamarketplace.org.
About
Western Union
The
Western Union Company (NYSE:
WU
-
News) is a leader in global payment
services. Together with its Vigo, Orlandi Valuta, Pago Facil and Western
Union Business Solutions branded payment services, Western Union provides
consumers and businesses with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send and
receive money around the world, to send payments and to purchase money
orders. As of September 30, 2011, the Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi Valuta
branded services were offered through a combined network of
approximately 485,000 Agent locations in 200 countries and territories. In
2010, The Western Union Company completed 214 million consumer-to-consumer
transactions worldwide, moving $76 billion of principal between consumers,
and 405 million business payments. For more information, visit
www.westernunion.com.
About
the Western Union Foundation
Through Western Union's Our World, Our Family(R) signature
program, the Western Union Foundation supports initiatives to empower people
through access to economic opportunity. Recognized by the Committee
Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy in 2009, the program is a five-year, $50
million commitment reflecting efforts made by Western Union employees,
Agents and partners around the world. Since 2001, the Western Union
Foundation has awarded more than $73.4 million in grants to more than 2010
nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in 104 countries and territories. To
learn more, visit
http://foundation.westernunion.com.
About
USAID
USAID
is the lead U.S. government agency providing development and humanitarian
assistance to people around the world. USAID works in 49 countries in
sub-Saharan Africa to promote good governance and democracy, broad-based
economic growth, high quality health care and education, and peaceful and
secure communities. The agency's Global Development Alliance (GDA) links
U.S. foreign assistance with the resources, expertise and creativity of the
private sector as well as nongovernmental organizations. Since its launch in
2001, the Global Development Alliance has changed the way U.S. international
development projects are financed and implemented. By cultivating more than
900 public-private alliances with over 1,700 individual partners, it has
allowed USAID to leverage an additional $9.6 billion in resources for
development. For more information about USAID and its programs around the
world, visit
www.usaid.gov.
For more information on Global Development Alliances, visit
www.usaid.gov/gda/index.html.
About
Ecobank Group
Incorporated in Lomé, Togo, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) is the
parent company of the Ecobank Group, which is present in more countries in
Africa than any other bank in the world. Ecobank currently operates in
Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African
Republic, Chad, Congo (Brazzaville), Congo (Democratic Republic), Côte
d’Ivoire, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia,
Malawi, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra
Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Group also has an
affiliate in Paris and representative offices in Dubai, Johannesburg, London
and Luanda. ETI is listed on the stock exchanges in Lagos, Accra and the
West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) – the BRVM. The Group has
over 23 000 employees from 35 different countries in over 1,100 branches.
Ecobank is a full service bank providing wholesale, retail, investment and
transactional banking services to governments, financial institutions,
multinationals, local companies, SMEs and individuals. For more information,
please visit:
http://www.ecobank.com.
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available:
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WU-F,
WU-G
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Contact:
Western Union
Anna Alejo, 720-332-3884
anna.alejo@westernunion.com
or
USAID
Natasha Jackson, 202-712-1647
Press Officer
njackson@usaid.gov |
