U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit Events to Kick Off with USTDA-Sponsored Energy Visit to Houston, TX, July 30 – Aug. 1

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) is hosting energy ministers from three African nations in Houston, TX from July 30 to Aug. 1 for the African Leaders Visit: Energy, which will familiarize the ministers with U.S. technology and expertise in the energy sector.

Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) July 23, 2014

U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit Events to Kick Off with USTDA-Sponsored Energy Visit to The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) is hosting energy ministers from three African nations in Houston, TX from July 30 to Aug. 1 for the African Leaders Visit: Energy, which will familiarize the ministers with U.S. technology and expertise in the energy sector.

USTDA Director Leocadia I. Zak and U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz will welcome ministers from Kenya, Mozambique and Tanzania, as well as CEOs of major African energy corporations, for the Visit which precedes the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit hosted by President Obama in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 5 and 6. The goal of the Visit is to facilitate the exchange of information about commercial, technological and financial aspects of each country's recently discovered gas reserves. Accordingly, the delegation will meet with leading U.S. energy companies and tour major gas infrastructure sites near Houston.

“This Visit will help U.S. companies and our U.S. government partners cultivate a dynamic public-private dialogue about the challenges and opportunities of energy development in sub-Saharan Africa,” said Director Zak, noting that the Agency has already doubled its energy investment in sub-Saharan Africa and is poised to double it again this year. “We look forward to future opportunities to work with our U.S. and African partners to increase energy access on the continent.”

Delegates expected to participate in the Visit include:

• Mozambican Mineral Resources Minister Esperança Laurinda Francisco Nhiuane Bias;
• Tanzanian Energy and Minerals Minister Sospeter Muhongo;
• Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Energy Davis Chirchir; and
• Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ambassador Amina Mohamed.

Also attending:

• Arsenio Mabote, CEO, National Institute of Petroleum of Mozambique;
• Nelson Ocuane, CEO, National Company of Hydrocarbons of Mozambique; and
• Engineer Yahya Samamba, Private Secretary to the Minister of Tanzania.

Journalists are invited to cover the following portions of the Visit to Houston:

• A Google+ Hangout with Director Zak will be held at 9 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, July 29. Journalists who want to participate in the Hangout must pre-register with their affiliation at http://www.ustda.gov/ALVhangout by 6 p.m. EDT on Friday, July 25. Questions for Director Zak may be submitted in advance on Google+ and Twitter using the hashtag #ALVHangout. To watch the Hangout, visit: bit.ly/WBUeHI.
• Media is invited to attend the opening reception at the St. Regis hotel Wednesday from 7:30pm to 9pm CDT, which will include remarks by senior U.S. officials and the visiting ministers.
• A live-streamed press conference with Director Zak, Secretary Moniz, the African energy ministers and Houston Mayor Annise Parker will take place at the St. Regis Hotel at 9:15am CDT on Thursday, July 31.
• The Kenya, Mozambique and Tanzania delegations will give their perspectives on energy sector development during live-streamed panel discussions at Houston's Hobby Center from 9am to noon CDT on Friday, Aug. 1.

Journalists can view live streams of the press conference and panel discussion in Houston at http://www.ustda.gov/africanleadersvisits. Event coverage will be also posted to the USTDA's YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/USTDAvideo.

The Visit to Houston will coincide with the African Leaders Visit: Transport, which USTDA is hosting with the U.S. Department of Transportation in Chicago, IL. For more information about the African Leaders Visits, please visit http://www.ustda.gov/africanleadersvisits.

The African Leaders Visit: Energy is being organized on behalf of USTDA by The Webster Group, a global event and meeting planning company headquartered in Washington, DC.

For more information follow hashtag #ALVEnergy on social media, or contact Betsy Pisik, Director of Public Affairs, The Webster Group, 212-539-1911 or betsy(dot)pisik(at)webstergroupinc(dot)com. Media can register to receive updates at http://www.africanleadersvisitenergy.com/receive-media-advisories.

About USTDA
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority development projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project planning activities, pilot projects, and reverse trade missions while creating sustainable infrastructure and economic growth in partner countries.

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/07/prweb12042812.htm