December 15, 2022, Minneapolis, MN > Minnesota Africans United (MAU), representing Diaspora community groups from all 54 nations on the African continent, crisscrossed Washington DC this week to meet with Heads of State, Foreign Ministers, Cabinet Members and other officials from the 49 African nations taking part in President Biden’s U.S. Africa Leaders' Summit. “MAU leaders and supporters are bringing a powerful message of support for Expo 2027 to national leaders from every region in Africa,” according to MAU’s founder and leader Basil Ajuo. “We are working towards an Africa-wide consensus of support for Minnesota’s bid to host an international exposition under the theme of “Healthy People, Healthy Planet,” continued CEO Ajuo. “We are making the case that by supporting Minnesota’s bid they can help create a powerful engine for advancing two-way trade and investment that can benefit both the Diaspora living in Minnesota and the people living on the continent of Africa.”
The MAU delegation is in Washington for the entire week of activities related to the Summit. As of mid-week, meetings had taken place with leaders from Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Liberia, Somalia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Zambia, Guinea, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Malawi, Mali, and the United Arab Emirates.
“Until now, we have primarily been meeting with senior African government officials in their embassies in Paris, in New York, and in national capitals. Having nearly all the Heads of State or their designated representative in Washington all at the same time has been an incredible opportunity to make the case for Expo 2027,” stated Ajuo. “We have built up a great deal of support for our bid and now we’re concentrating on turning that strong support into a continent-wide consensus for everyone to support Minnesota. This week, coming on the heels of a very successful lobbying blitz of African Ambassadors in Paris last month, gives the Minnesota’s bid the boost needed to propel us in the final six-months of this exciting campaign.”
Minnesota Africans United
Minnesota Africans United (MAU) is a coalition and statewide organization for all African immigrants’ communities in Minnesota. MAU supports Minnesota’s African Immigrant community with representation from 55 African countries. We act as a connection for the network of African immigrants in Minnesota, and for local African immigrant community organizations, and small businesses.
Twitter https://twitter.com/MNAfricans
U.S. Africa Leaders Summit
President Biden is hosting leaders from across the African continent in Washington, DC on December 13-15, 2022, for the U.S.- Africa Leaders’ Summit. The Summit will demonstrate the United States’ enduring commitment to Africa and will underscore the importance of U.S.-Africa relations and increased cooperation on shared global priorities. Africa will shape the future - not just the future of the African people, but of the world. Africa will make the difference in tackling the most urgent challenges and seizing the opportunities we all face. Website https://www.state.gov/africasummit/