美国新冠疫情日记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.

         德非经济高峯大会被迫取消

今年九月下旬由美南国际贸易中心和莱斯大学合办的德非经济高峯大会， 因新冠疫情被迫取消。

去年九月到访休斯敦的西非几内亚总统孔戴曾在我们家宴席上答允，会在今年前来参加，还有包括衣索比亚、 迦纳等国元首，在他们参加纽约联合国大会之便也到德州来访问， 遗憾的是 ，由於疫情尚在蔓延之中 ，包括联大在纽约之大会都以视讯方式进行。

国际贸易中心成立十五年来是美南集团走向国际之舞台，多年来，我们接待上千人次的国际人士， 其中有来自非洲、中南美、加拿大、亚洲各国之大使及总领事，我们得到美国政商界之大力支持，市长特纳经常光临指导，今天已经有徳州联合国协会及六个国际商会常设办公室，共同為休斯敦开拓国际关係。

今年年会被迫改期，我们正在準备明年二0二一年秋季再度召开，希望到时有许多非洲各国元首蒞临，必将是一场国际盛会。