By Ajong Mbapndah L*
As global competition for Africa’s markets, resources, and partnerships intensifies, the 2026 U.S.–Africa Business Summit in Mauritius is shaping up to be more than just another high-level gathering—it is emerging as a decisive moment for redefining transatlantic commercial engagement. At the center of this effort is Florie Liser, President and CEO of the Corporate Council on Africa, who is steering preparations with a clear and pragmatic focus: turning conversations into concrete deals.
With momentum building across both public and private sectors, the Summit is expected to convene influential policymakers, investors, and corporate leaders at a time when Africa is increasingly recognized not as a frontier, but as a strategic growth market. From infrastructure and energy to digital innovation and critical minerals, U.S. interest is rising—but so too is the urgency to translate that interest into sustained, scalable investment.
Hosting the Summit in Mauritius—a country widely regarded for its stability, financial sophistication, and role as a gateway for investment into Africa—sends a powerful signal about the continent’s readiness for business at scale. It also underscores a broader narrative: Africa is not just open for business, it is building the ecosystems necessary to support long-term, high-value partnerships.
In this interview, Florie Liser outlines how the Summit aims to move beyond rhetoric to execution, the evolving state of U.S.–Africa business relations, and why the United States remains a compelling and credible partner in a crowded global field. She also makes a strong case for why companies—whether entering Africa for the first time or expanding their footprint—cannot afford to miss what is widely regarded as the premier platform for U.S.–Africa commercial engagement.
How are preparations shaping up for the 2026 U.S.–Africa Business Summit in Mauritius, and from your vantage point at the Corporate Council on Africa, what are the key priorities as you count down to the gathering?
Preparations for the 2026 U.S.–Africa Business Summit in Mauritius are well underway, and momentum is building across both the U.S. and African public and private sectors. From our vantage point at the Corporate Council on Africa, the priority is clear: this Summit must deliver tangible business outcomes.
We are focused on curating a program that facilitates deal-making, strengthens commercial partnerships, and connects investors with bankable opportunities across the continent. That includes targeted B2B and B2G engagements, sector-specific roundtables, and high-level dialogues that move beyond discussion to execution.
Equally important is ensuring strong participation from U.S. and African companies that are serious about expanding their footprint. We are also focused on African government leaders who are committed to creating enabling environments for investment as well as U.S. government officials who are providing policy and practical support for mutually beneficial projects. As we count down, our focus is on alignment, execution, and delivering a Summit where business gets done.
This will be the first time Mauritius hosts the U.S.–Africa Business Summit. What made Mauritius the right choice, and how does the country’s economic and financial ecosystem support the broader goal of strengthening U.S.–Africa trade and investment ties?
Mauritius is a strategic and forward-looking choice to host the 2026 Summit. As one of Africa’s most stable and business-friendly economies, it offers a strong regulatory framework, a sophisticated financial services sector, and a proven track record as a gateway for investment into Africa.
Its position as an international financial center makes it particularly attractive for structuring cross-border investments, facilitating capital flows, and supporting companies looking to expand across African markets. Mauritius has also demonstrated a clear commitment to strengthening ties with global partners, including the United States.
Hosting the Summit in Mauritius underscores an important message: Africa offers not only opportunity, but also well-established platforms for investment and growth. It allows us to highlight how countries across the continent are building the ecosystems needed to support scalable, long-term business engagement with the United States.
Over the past year, how would you assess the state of U.S.–Africa business relations? Where have you seen encouraging progress, and where do you believe more momentum is still needed?
Over the past year, we have seen encouraging progress in several areas of U.S.–Africa business relations. There is growing interest from U.S. companies in sectors such as infrastructure, energy, digital technology, and critical minerals, as well as increased recognition of Africa as a long-term growth market rather than a short-term play.
We have also seen stronger engagement through initiatives that support trade and investment [including renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)] , and continued policy and financing support by key U.S. government agencies including the Export-Import Bank of the U.S. (Eximbank), Development Finance Corporation (DFC), U.S. Trade and Development Agency, Departments of State and Commerce, U.S. Trade Representative and others.
That said, more momentum is needed to translate interest into sustained investment at scale. This includes improving access to financing, advancing commercially viable projects, and ensuring that U.S. companies are well-positioned to compete in African markets. Consistency in policy, speed in execution, and a continued focus on private sector-led growth will be critical moving forward.
At a time when global competition for partnerships in Africa is intensifying, some stakeholders question whether the United States is doing enough to remain a reliable long-term economic partner. How do you make the case to African countries that the U.S. should remain a credible and trusted partner?
The United States brings a distinct and compelling value proposition to partnerships in Africa, grounded in transparency, high standards, and a long-term commitment to mutually beneficial U.S.-Africa economic and commercial partnerships.
U.S. companies are known for delivering quality products and services, fostering innovation, and building partnerships that prioritize local value creation, skills transfer, and economic impact. These are not short-term engagements — they are investments designed to support businesses and growth on both sides of the Atlantic.
At the same time, we recognize that credibility is reinforced through action. That means continuing to mobilize capital, support competitive U.S. participation in African markets, and ensure that partnerships are responsive to the priorities of African countries.
The role of the Corporate Council on Africa is to help bridge that gap — connecting businesses to opportunities, advocating for policies that enable investment, and ensuring that the U.S.–Africa commercial relationship remains strong, competitive, and mutually beneficial.
For companies that may be considering attending for the first time—whether African firms seeking U.S. partnerships or international companies exploring African markets—what tangible opportunities does the summit offer in terms of partnerships, investment, and direct engagement with decision-makers?
The U.S.–Africa Business Summit is the premier annual event bringing together public and private sectors leaders from the United States and across Africa. In addition to promoting meaningful dialogue among those leaders, it is designed to be a platform where real business gets done. At the 2025 Summit in Angola, $4 billion in new deals were realized.
For first-time attendees, the value lies in direct access—to African Heads of State and senior government officials, U.S. government leaders, heads of international financial institutions, and private sector executives who are actively shaping deals and investment decisions. The Summit creates an environment where companies can move from introductions to negotiations within a matter of days.
Participants – more than 2800 at the 2025 Summit — can expect structured B2B and B2G meetings, opportunities to explore live deals and investment-ready projects, and insights into priority sectors and markets across Africa. Just as importantly, it is a space to build relationships that extend well beyond the Summit itself.
Whether a company is entering the African market for the first time or expanding an existing presence, the Summit offers a unique opportunity to engage at the highest levels and position themselves for long-term success.
*Culled from April Edition of PAV Magazine. For discounted registration click here
