Details Of President Kufuor's USA Trip

PRESIDENT JOHN A. KUFUOR VISITS WASHINGTON TO PROMOTE TRADE, TOURISM AND INVESTMENT IN GHANA
Ghanaian President John A. Kufuor arrived in Washington this week to promote trade, investment and tourism in Ghana.
The visit marks the launch of the Ghana: Africa's Golden Gateway trade promotion initiative, developed by The Whitaker Group. The initiative seeks to build on growing investor interest in Ghana, considered by many to be a beacon of democracy, growth and good governance in Africa. Ghana was recently declared by the World Bank to be one of the easiest places in Africa to do business.
On Thursday, October 27, President Kufuor will participate in a roundtable discussion with top U.S. business leaders at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on the investment opportunities opening up in Ghana in the wake of the country's success in liberalizing its markets, legislating strong investor protections and lowering taxes on businesses.
Coca-Cola, Chevron, ExxonMobil, IBM, Motorola, Pfizer, and Ralston-Purina are just a few of the U.S. corporations already participating in the Ghanaian economy and benefiting from the favorable business climate in Ghana.
The President, one of the region's most influential leaders, will also showcase his country as a tourism venue. On Wednesday, October 26, following a luncheon for tour group operators, travel writers and the media, he will attend the Discovery Channel premiere, “Ghana: The Presidential Tour” at the American Film Institute.
The documentary, hosted by acclaimed journalist Forrest Sawyer, takes viewers on a tour of Ghana with President Kufuor. It will be broadcast nationally on the Discovery Channel's Travel Channel on November 8, 2005, at 10 pm.
On Thursday, October 27, the President will be the first African President to be hosted and recognized by The Executive Leadership Council, at its 17 th Annual Recognition Dinner. The ELC is an organization comprised the most senior African American executives in major US corporations.
Ghana's First Lady, Theresa Kufuor, will accompany her husband. President Kufuor to meet Wolfowitz? Daily Graphic -- President J.A. Kufuor arrived in Washington in the United States of America last Monday night for a six-day official visit.
According to a programme released by the Ghana Mission in Washington, the President was expected to hold meetings with a Chicago business consortium on the re-vamping and privatization of the Ghana Railways and hold discussions with top officials of ALCOA on the status of VALCO's operations and mining of bauxite for integrated aluminium industry.
He would also meet with executive members of Cargrill, a US company which has expressed interest in establishing a cocoa processing plant in Ghana.
The President will also launch the Ghana – Africa's Golden Gateway project, a trade and investment promotion event jointly being organised by the US Chamber of Commerce, Cocoa Cola Company in Africa and the Whitaker Group.
President Kufuor is also scheduled to hold meetings with World Bank President Mr Paul Wolfowitz, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, Mr Rodrigo de Rato and Mr Alfonso Jackson, US secretary for housing and urban development, and this will focus on housing and urban development in Ghana.
He is also expected to attend the discovery channel world premiere of a television documentary entitled “Ghana – The Presidential Tour” organised and hosted by Africa Society and the Discovery Global Communications.