Words from the editorial desk Central Africa Economic Integration Convention Business opportunities throughout Africa How to cope with the explosion of Information Technology? AFRICABIZ FORUM: for international investors Freebies you cannot live without Sponsorship welcomed for AFRICABIZ editions

EDITORIAL:

Dear international investor, this issue of AFRICABIZ is mainly dedicated to an important convention scheduled to take place at Yaoundé - Cameroon: "The Central Africa Integration Conference" from November 23 to November 28, 1999. The "Integration Conference" is aimed at strengthening the institutional and economic links between the six members states of the CENTRAL AFRICAN ECONOMIC AND MONETARY COMMUNITY (CEMAC). Five events are planned by the organizer for the duration of the Conference :

A forum on the regional economic integration of CEMAC. Motor and transportation show. Global businesses exhibition. African artistic and crafts manship show (SANTA CLAUS FAIR). Cultural and artistic manifestations.

All these events represent a rare opportunity to meet high-profile decision makers from all over Africa and other parts of the world at large; and particularly from the CEMAC members states; to establish business contacts to conquer the very promising CEMAC zone markets in all kinds of business lines from agribusiness, to transportation, tourism; etc. These events are briefly outlined below in section labelled "Central Africa Integration Conference" Information Technology (IT) is developing and evolving at a maddening speed. Every week - to be conservative speaking! - new services and product development are streaming into the market. It is not easy to cope with the flood; yes? Perhaps you need some guidance to be aware of what's happening in IT; to discuss with the "experts" in order to know enough about the new hardware or software proposed to you to upgrade your system; in brief to avoid making the wrong decision and trailing behind the competition; do you? Okay! Just gander below at the section about Information Technology explosion ; to peruse our presentation of an excellent article: "How to prepare for the 21st Century Technology Explosion!" by Michael Boldy. The link to the full article posted online is: /africabiz/ezine/current1.php We've also selected two freebies you "gotta-have-them"

An in-tray financial calculator. A free service for your privacy sake on the net.

CENTRAL AFRICA CONFERENCE:

From November 23 to November 28, at the Congress-Hall of Yaoundé - Cameroon - the Secretariat Executive of the Central African Economic and Monetary Community (CEMAC) is organizing: The Central Africa Integration Conference. The conference called "Journées CEMAC 1999" is aimed at studying, investigating, analyzing the economic, financial, institutional ways and means necessary to improve, accelerate and consolidate the global integration of the CEMAC members States into a strong and economicly performing regional entity; in order to boost the social, economic and cultural development of the CEMAC zone. Attending this convention on "The Central Africa Integration Conference" is a tremendous opportunity to penetrate one of the world quite economic virgin territory left over for bonanza profits. Visit the various links below outlined and plan ahead to conquering CEMAC market. Five events will take place: - A forum on the economic integration of CEMAC: The Forum will be a best practice and the leading event of the "Journées CEMAC 1999", with speeches, exposés and presentations from a selected number of high caliber speakers, managers and executives from the business community of the CEMAC zone and from international development agencies. /africabiz/ezine/ca/lightscaf.php - Motor and Transportation Show: There is a huge market for road transportation equipment, vehicles and all kinds of heavy equipment in the /africabiz/ezine/ca/eventscaf.php - Global Businesses Exhibition: You are an international company in search for local distributor to expand your exportation territory. You have a service to offer in any business line. You are a CEMAC zone company; a local businessman searching for business opportunities, international technical partner, financing source; etc. Attend the "Global Business Exhibition" and prepare your entry into the very promising market of the CEMAC zone; /africabiz/ezine/ca/bizcaf.php - Santa Claus Fair: You are an international businessman active in the field of cultural events; promotion and craftsmen products selling on the international market. You are a CEMAC zone businessman dealing in the same sector as above outlined. You are from other parts of Africa and concerned with the same line of business. You are craftsman, painter, sculptor, artist from the CEMAC zone and other parts of Africa or the world at large. The "Journées CEMAC 1999" is a unique opportunity to get in touch, at the same place, right at the esplanade of the venue of the CEMAC Conference - The Congress-Hall of Yaoundé - with artists and craftsmen from all the CEMAC members States; from other African regions and also from the world at large.  /africabiz/ezine/ca/event2caf.php - Cultural, Sporting and entertainment manifestations: The objective of such manifestations is to: arouse and maintain public interest for the "Journées CEMAC 1999". create an atmosphere of permanent animation around the "Journées CEMAC 1999". create a touristic feeling for all the visitors confronted with the variety of the cultural production of artists from the CEMAC zone and other parts of Africa. show the business opportunities available in the touristic area in the CEMAC zone countries.

OTHER BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES IN AFRICA

In addition to the opportunities linked to the "Journées CEMAC 1999" fully explained at the following link: We have more for you: a) In Benin: A businessman is searching for technical /equity partner to develop an existing tropical flower business into a large concern to produce all kinds of tropical flowers for the international market. There is also the possibility to produce other crops for the local and regional market (150.000.000 inhabitants). 600 hectares ( Hi, you have to grab the CDML Advanced Calculator - in FREEBIES section - to make the conversion to your favorite unit!) of good land are set aside for this venture. b) in Issue2 and Issue3 of AFRICABIZ are listed many other business opportunities; visit he following links: /africabiz/ezine/arc/vol1/issue1.php /africabiz/ezine/arc/vol1/issue2.php Return to top

INFORMATION TECHNONOLOGY EXPLOSION

FEATURE ARTICLE ON INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY EXPLOSION: "How to prepare for the 21st Century Technology Explosion!". How are we simple utilizer of the Information Technology (IT) tools and utilities are going to survive the relentless stream of innovation pouring incessantly on our heads? We have to run our business and in the same time keep-up with IT revolution, survive and avoid to be driven out of business by the hard ball competition. Sourcing the right hardware, the perfect software for our industry is becoming more and more difficult. Have you noticed how the eCommerce software and utilities are evolving and dangling everywhere? Sure, we can hire "experts", consultants; but can we always analyze, discuss, compare their proposal against the competition? And the cost? Even if everybody should have its part of the cake, it is sometimes very difficult for us small business to have deep pocket. Hopefully there is always an "Angel" around the corner; search and you will always find one. Well, sometimes its not so easy...But how about having the "Angel" knocking right at your door? That's exactly what the "Virtual Community of Software Providers" (VcSP) is doing through AFRICABIZ. They are providing you with a FREE SERVICE to help you cope with IT explosion. Read online VcSP offer in the excellent article of Michael Boldy at the following link: /africabiz/ezine/current1.php If you want to be "in" with IT explosion, you can have it FOR FREE at the "Virtual Community of Software Providers" web site managed by Michael Boldy: http://www.vcsp.com which provides guidance to both protect the end-user and provide a swift and efficient gateway to software products and computer services. Return to top

AFRICABIZ features a moderated discussion board: AFRICABIZ FORUM.  You may apply as moderator and manage topics pertaining to trading and investing in Africa. For more on how to use efficiently AFRICABIZ FORUM click here. Please feel free to use extensively AFRICABIZ FORUM; post messages about your products, offers, bids, investments proposals; etc. and get replies from other users all over the large world. In brief, converge at the "MEETING POINT" of people involved in trading and investing in Africa.

ADD YOUR URL AND YOUR CLASSADS

You may add your URL and Classads for free; courtesy of AFRICABIZ. Click here to add your Classads Return to top

FREEBIES

Photo by Chip Simons for The New York Times

We have selected for you two useful tools: The first one deals with privacy matter - and justifies the quotation from JUVENAL - Which means that even in that ancient Romans times, the question of privacy was already a concern for free citizens who want to preserve their freedom. Nothing new under the sun! The second one is a calculator packed with unbelievable goodies... for FREEE!!! a)- ZIPLIP: Sending a email to someone is like sending a postcard through the snail mail system. No privacy! Anyone, through the whole path-chain of delivering the postcard to the recipient can read your message; without any feeling of guiltiness! In fact you invite him to do so by sending an open message. That's your choice. But if you really want to send a more confidential message, you have - till now - only one possibility: encrypt your message; which means install an encryption software and learn how it works; etc. and are you sure you have selected the right one? (we are coming back to the topic developed in section 3 above...). In addition your correspondent should also have the same soft on its system and well configured; etc. All that hassle and constraints now belong to the past! Now we have ZIPLIP service. The name speaks for itself: your lip is zipped; your message is secret only to the final destination. You just go to ZIPLIP web site and compose your message and add a password; and that is! Only who gets hold of said password can read the message. Visit: http://www.ziplip.com and try this free service. Simple and easy. b)- CDML Advanced Calculator Fed up with the limitations of Windows' built-in calculator? Then grab this excellent free advanced calculator which offers every feature you could ask for. CDML is an advanced calculator for everyday use. Offers memory functions, tape display, English/metric conversions, scientific expression evaluator ( 33 Scientific Functions) and financial functions (14 Financial Functions)and many other goodies. It's always easily accessible from the tray. (For Win 95/98). 1.1 megabytes. http://www.cdml.com/OurSoft/calculator/download.php#Freeware Return to top

SPONSORSHIP

AFRICABIZ welcomes your sponsorship for the Permanent and php (which you are exploring now) on-line Editions: /africabiz/ezine/home.php /africabiz/ezine/current.php and the email editions; see descriptions of email editions at: /africabiz/newsletter.php Please contact the editor for sponsorship agreement: editor@africabiz.org Return to top