美國新冠疫情日記09/19

Pandemic Cancels Texas African Business Summit

The International Trade Center planned to sponsor the Texas African Business Summit this fall, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, we will have to cancel the event.

Last year on September 16, President Alpha Conde of the West African country of Guinea came to Houston for an official visit. We had the honor to welcome him and seventeen of his cabinet members to my house. He promised me and the President of ITC, Hon. Gezahgen Kebede, to participate this year in the Texas African Business Summit. We also invited many other heads of state from African countries to join us when they were at the United Nations General Assembly meetings in New York. Unfortunately, we have had to cancel the summit this year.

In the last fifteen years, the ITC has provided an international stage to all countries and has welcomed hundreds of foreign visitors to Houston, especially from Africa. We are very proud that we have built this bridge between Texas and the world.

Today we have six international Chambers of Commerce and the United Nation Association who have their offices at the ITC. From this special platform, we will continue to promote culture, trade and education programs to all people from all parts of the globe.

The coronavirus pandemic has changed the world and our lifestyle. The ITC still has a very special responsibility and vision for the future.

         德非經濟高峯大會被迫取消

今年九月下旬由美南國際貿易中心和萊斯大學合辦的德非經濟高峯大會， 因新冠疫情被迫取消。

去年九月到訪休斯敦的西非幾內亞總統孔戴曾在我們家宴席上答允，會在今年前來參加，還有包括衣索比亞、 迦納等國元首，在他們參加紐約聯合國大會之便也到德州來訪問， 遺憾的是 ，由於疫情尚在蔓延之中 ，包括聯大在紐約之大會都以視訊方式進行。

國際貿易中心成立十五年來是美南集團走向國際之舞台，多年來，我們接待上千人次的國際人士， 其中有來自非洲、中南美、加拿大、亞洲各國之大使及總領事，我們得到美國政商界之大力支持，市長特納经常光臨指導，今天已經有徳州聯合國協會及六個國際商會常設办公室，共同為休斯敦開拓國際關係。

今年年會被迫改期，我們正在準備明年二0二一年秋季再度召開，希望到時有許多非洲各國元首蒞臨，必將是一场國際盛會。