The new African Business Chamber of Commerce will be launched tomorrow evening at the Marriott Hotel located in Kingston, Georgetown.

Formally known as the African Business Roundtable (ABR), the new body is designed to promote the interests of African business enterprises in Guyana and to serve as an organised conduit to Government and other stakeholders in society, a release stated.

The chamber is being launched under the auspices of the African Cultural Development Association (ACDA) which has been hosting a series of planning meetings in recent months to prepare for the launch of the grouping. The ABR was formed in part out of a need to strengthen the economy of Guyana and by the urgings contained in the United Nations General Assembly resolutions A/Res/68/237 and A/Res/69/16 dealing with the International Decade for People of African Descent and the Programme of Action associated with it.

Part of its goal is to strengthen efforts at national development and achieving surety of economic inclusion through support for the growth of private businesses owned by Guyanese of African descent, organized said in their release.

Additionally, the ABR will seek to create opportunities for self-development and the transformation of villages into viable economic centres. The ABR will also seek to create training opportunities for members and collect, compile, analyze, disseminate and publish reliable statistical data for business decision-making. Towards these ends, the ABR will work with all persons, organizations, and institutions that seek to achieve the objectives of economic and social inclusion of people of African descent in the full enjoyment of Guyana’s patrimony in recognition of their uncompensated contribution to the development of Guyana, and in accordance with the objectives of the two UN resolutions in reference and the relevant provisions of the Guyana Constitution.

The ABR is an incorporated body and will be establishing a Secretariat with full a compliment of full time staffers. Future plans include the establishment of sub offices in various administrative regions. Outreaches will be made to African business enterprises in the Diaspora as the organisation grows from strength to strength.