Press Releases
Peace Corps Swears In 39 Volunteers In Health And Education
Lusaka
March 30, 2007
Thirty nine young American men and women who have successfully completed 9 weeks of training were officially sworn in as U.S. Peace Corps Volunteers on Friday March 30 in a ceremony at Peace Corps offices in Lusaka.
The Volunteers, who are here on a two-year program, will be posted in rural Zambia, spread over Northern, Northwestern, Luapula, Eastern, Central, Copperbelt and Southern Provinces.
Peace Corps is an U.S. Government Agency whose main goals are the provision of technical assistance and cultural exchange between host countries’ nationals and the American people.
Charge d’Affaires at the United States Embassy, Andrew Passen, in his speech, reported that there are approximately 170 Volunteers currently serving throughout the country, and there are now almost 700 former Volunteers who served in Zambia and have now returned to the U.S. to share their stories and experiences. He also said there were uncountable thousands of Zambian citizens whose lives have been touched by their interactions with these fine Americans.
Health Minister, Honorable Angela Cifire, who was Guest of Honor, welcomed the Volunteers on behalf of the Zambian Government and the Ministry of Health. She said the Government of Zambia looked forward to working with the Peace Corps for years to come and anticipated a close collaboration and cooperation between both offices.
Also providing remarks was Senior Chieftainess Nkomeshya Mukamambo II, in whose chiefdom the Peace Corps Training Center resides.
Various officials attended the ceremony from Government Ministries and Non Governmental Organizations.
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press releases
U.S. Franchises Looking for Regional Partners
South Africa
April 11, 2007
On May 2, 3, and 4, 2007 the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria and the Franchise Association of Southern Africa (FASA) will jointly host a series of activities to promote franchising opportunities in the region. These activities will take place against the backdrop of the 24th International Franchise and Entrepreneur Exposition, taking place at the Sandton Convention Center (Johannesburg) from May 3 to May 5.
Economic and regulatory officials from SADC governments will travel to Johannesburg for technical training to be conducted by the International Franchise Association (IFA) based in Washington, D.C., FASA, and other franchising experts. This training will highlight the role of franchising in sustainable economic development and will focus on the creation of an enabling environment for franchise to thrive.
For example, SADC regulators will meet with American and South African experts on intellectual property rights, financing, and human resource development. In addition, they will interact with representatives of international development organizations, who will discuss franchise from a macro-economic development perspective.
The meetings in May will also be attended by a delegation of American franchise companies organized by the IFA. These companies are all well established in their fields in the United States and beyond, and are each offering fresh economic models to potential southern African partners.
The U.S. franchise owners who will be traveling to South Africa for this event represent a number of industries, including professional cleaning services for offices or institutions, home repair, restaurants, business management, personalized printing, batteries, and pet grooming franchises. All have proven business models that are transferable to this region.
For more information on the Exposition, please visit: www.fasa.co.za or contact Conference Coordinator Alison Notley at: hoghill@telkomsa.net or Tel.: 028 840 0158.
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