Nominees to Presidential Entrepreneurship Summit

UNCLAS NIAMEY 000945 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EAID PREL SOCI NR SUBJECT: Nominees to Presidential Entrepreneurship Summit REF: STATE 112468 ¶1. In response to reftel request, post nominates ten individuals to represent Niger at the Presidential Entrepreneurship Summit to be held during the first quarter of 2010. Representing a cross-section of Niger's small business community, these individuals are likely to have the means and the motivation to travel to the United States for this event. (Note: Other potential nominees representing very small businesses and/or non-governmental organizations were identified as requiring travel funding in order to participate. End note.) ¶2. Embassy Niamey nominates: a. Ms. Djamila Massaoudou is a young (31 years old),very dynamic, and self-made businesswoman. As founder and President of Djamila Pressing, she employs more than 70 workers on four sites at her modern dry cleaning and laundry facilities in Niamey, and plans on expanding in the upcoming months. b. Mr. Sidi-Ahmed Seidnaly Alphadi is a world-renowned fashion designer who is committed to the development of the tourist and economic sectors in Niger. Mr. Alphadi initiated the International Festival of African Fashion (FIMA) in 1998, which has emerged in recent years to be one of the major cultural events on the continent. Through his retail stores, hospitality businesses, production factories, and tourism promotion, Mr. Alphadi is an enormous generator of jobs and goodwill. He is of the ethnic Arab minority. c. Mr. Mamane Abou is the owner of one of the most reliable independent newspapers in Niger, "Le Republicain," as well as a large printing company "Nouvelle Imprimerie du Niger." He has been instrumental in fighting for the repeal of Niger's restrictive criminal libel statutes, which impede the freedom of the press. In addition, Mr. Abou is the owner of the two biggest hotels in sub-region (Maradi Guest House and Hotel Tarka in Tahoua). Mr. Abou is of the ethnic Tuareg minority, from the under-represented north of Niger. d. Mr. Abdoulkarim Seydou Hassane runs a promising leather-working business. After receiving his master's degree in applied electronics in China, he created a leather goods import and export business, building on Niger's burgeoning reputation as a provider of quality leatherwork. e. Mr. Sadou Fouddi is an established business professional whose construction company, while small with around ten full-time employees, hires many more contractual workers. His company specializes on educational facilities, partnering with the government and NGOs like World Vision. f. Mr. Iddi Ango Ibrahim is the founder of CAREN, Niger's second largest insurance company. He is also a significant shareholder in several local companies, including BIA-Niger (banking sector),ZAIN (cellular telecommunications),and Les Moulins du Sahel (grain processing). g. Mr Ibrahim Bawa Souley has been active in the private sector for years. His original printing business, Imprimarie IBS, is now managed by his sons. He was a parliamentarian during the regime of President Bare and is still the president of a small political party, but his main focus now is a large new fruit plantation that he is developing near Gaya, in the southernmost tip of Niger. He currently markets fresh fruit and is constructing a processing plant to produce fruit juice. h. Mr. Ali Djimba is a Director of CAT Niger, a large shipping business with over 100 employees. Mr. Djimba represents the Port of Cotonou in Niger, and his firm handles container shipments in and out of Niger as well as exports of uranium ore mined by AREVA. i. Mme Maidah Zeinabou was trained as an agronomist. After working for a few years at Braniger, the local Coca-Cola bottling company, she started a milk processing business called Nigerlait, which produces a range of dairy products in a modern processing plant. j. Mr. Amadou Boubacar Wankoye is in business with his brother Boureima Wankoye. Both are Directors of "Achat Service International" (ASI),a company that imports industrial equipment and chemicals from Europe, the United States, and Japan, as well as investors in other local companies, but they are best known for their entrepreneurial activities in the agricultural sector, including growing and exporting onions, which provide over 15 percent of Niger's export earnings. They were instrumental in introducing gum Arabic plantations in the degraded desert areas of Niger. ASI's large plantation of gum Arabic has provided a source of income for over 6,000 rural families. ¶3. Embassy Niamey appreciates Department's consideration of these nominees and would be pleased to provide additional information if needed. ALLEN