The Ethio-Canada Business and Investment Summit 2014 to be held on September 15, organized by WAFA Marketing and Promotion PLC and the Ethiopian Embassy in Canada. The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations (ECCSA) are co-organizers of the summit.

WAFA said the Ethio-Canada Business and Investment Summit is organized under the auspices of the larger Canada-Africa Business Summit, 2014 scheduled to be held from 15 to 18 September in the same venue.

According to WAFA, the Canadian Embassy to Ethiopia, Trade Facilitation Office-Canada (TFO-Canada) and Canadian Council on Africa (CCAfrcia) have been providing technical support for the success of the summit from the Canadian side.

The event is the first of its kind to be held in Canada, aims to be the largest gathering of the Canadian and African economic movers and stakeholders. The summit will bring together prominent experts, government officials and business people who will discuss strategic topics for Africa's economic development including construction, infrastructure and transport, agriculture and agri-business, education, natural resources and financing.

The half-day session will be held in a premium location at the summit hall in the presence of more than 300 participants, including senior Ethiopian government officials as guest speakers and panelists of both the Doing Business Forum in Ethiopia as well as the greater Canada-Africa Business Summit sessions. More than 65 local businesses comprising textile/garment, leather and leather products, petroleum, mining, coffee, construction and machinery, oilseeds, tour and travel, representatives of business associations as well as Canadian, African and other international investors will participate in the summit.

As part of the larger Canada-Africa Business Summit, Ethiopia has already been provided with the opportunity of taking part as a Country of Focus , which entitles Ethiopia to have its own half-day "Doing Business in Ethiopia Forum" session on 15 September.

The Ethiopian delegation will be led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Tedros Adhanom (Ph.D.), - one of the keynote speakers in the greater Canada-Africa Business Summit on September 16. Tedros will be accompanied by the Minister of Mines, Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy, the director of the Investment Commission and other pertinent institutions.

According to WAFA the forum will enable Ethiopia to showcase the existing business opportunities to the wider Canadian market and African businesspersons through networking, and business to business meetings. The event will be held at the Fairmont Royal York Toronto Hotel, Canada.