Jhpiego and WTCI celebrate "A Taste of Business in Africa"
20 June 2005
Aromatic foods, lively music and a shared interest in U.S.-African
business partnerships drew a capacity crowd of business, government and diplomatic officials
to Jhpiego’s "A Taste of Business in Africa" event—held on 20 June in the waterfront courtyard outside
Jhpiego headquarters.
As one in the popular "Taste of Business" Series sponsored
by the World Trade Center
Institute (WTCI), this African-themed event aimed to provide Maryland
businesses a closer look at commerce in countries in Africa, while highlighting Jhpiego’s
work in that part of the world. In addition to the African cuisine and music, participants
enjoyed an impressive line-up of speakers. In keeping with the evening’s theme, speakers
offered a wide range of perspectives on the importance of facilitating global links between
businesses in Maryland and those operating outside the U.S., as well as the economic advantages
of domestic-international partnerships.
Keynote speaker Michael Steele, Maryland's Lieutenant Governor, spoke with
great enthusiasm about the many partnerships already existing between state and African
businesses. Having a background in international law and an enduring interest in Africa,
Steele is dedicated to encouraging future opportunities for such partnerships.
Deborah Kielty, WTCI President and Executive Director, welcomed guests and cited the strong turnout for "A Taste of Business in Africa"
as evidence of Marylanders’ growing interest in African commerce.
Other featured speakers included Jhpiego's President and CEO, Dr. Leslie
Mancuso, who highlighted Jhpiego's record in Africa. Over the course of its 33-year history,
Jhpiego has worked to improve the heath of women and their families in nearly 50 African
countries and currently has operations in 20. Jhpiego's focus on maternal and child health
and HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment has put it at the forefront of health care training
and education in Africa.
Ambassador Robert Perry, Vice President for Programs at the Corporate Council
on Africa (CCA), talked about CCA's strong commitment to improving health care in Africa through
the involvement of the business community. Several delegates to CCA's biennial
U.S.-Africa
Business Summit—taking place in Baltimore on 21-23 June 2005—were present at the event.
Other notable participants included Congressman Chris Van Hollen; consular
officials from the governments of Mozambique and Liberia; and representatives of the State
of Maryland and the office of Baltimore City’s mayor, Martin O'Malley. They joined Jhpiego
board members Dr. Steven Knapp, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Research at
The Johns Hopkins University, and Dr. Theodore Poehler, Vice Provost for Research at The
Johns Hopkins University, in enjoying all that this exciting and stimulating evening
had to offer.
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Posters orient guests to Jhpiego's work in different African countries
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Display provides additional information about the organization
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Ambassador Robert Perry, Deborah Kielty, Maryland Lt. Governor Michael Steele, and Dr. Leslie
Mancuso
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Congressman
Chris Van Hollen and Mancuso
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Participants mingle in the waterfront courtyard outside Jhpiego's headquarters in Fells
Point
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A variety of African-themed foods entice guests during the event
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Guests relax as they browse through Jhpiego materials
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Dr. Theodore Poehler talks with Ali Crawford, Director of the Office of
the Chief Executive at Jhpiego
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Mancuso and Jhpiego Chief Financial Officer Kenneth Jones with consular
officials from the government of Mozambique
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Ambassador Perry and Jhpiego Senior Program Officer Susi Wyss
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Lt. Governor Steele talks with Dr. Steven Knapp after his keynote address
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A colorful food display under the tent
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About Jhpiego
For nearly 40 years, Jhpiego, (pronounced "ja-pie-go"), has empowered front-line health
workers by designing and implementing simple, low-cost, hands-on solutions that
strengthen the delivery of health care services, following the
household-to-hospital continuum of care. We partner with community- to
national-level organizations to build sustainable, local capacity through
advocacy, policy and guidelines development, and quality and performance
improvement approaches.
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