American business leader Dr. Avis Jones-DeWeever visited Ghana from June 16 through 22 to promote women’s entrepreneurship under the Department of State’s Africa Regional Services (ARS) Speaker Program. The American author of the award-winning book “How Exceptional Black Women Lead,” Dr. Jones-DeWeever is an expert in business strategies, diversity, and women’s empowerment. She has also served as an ARS Speaker in several nations, including across Africa. As a prolific writer, she is the author or co-author of numerous publications. Her perspectives have been shared through a variety of American and international media sources, including CNN, BBC, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Essence Magazine and many more. She currently serves as a regular contributor to The Huffington Post, Black Enterprise and NBC. She is also a member in several Boards of Directors.
During a reception hosted in her honor on June 20 at his residence, Ambassador Robert P. Jackson said: “Dr. Jones-DeWeever is in the midst of a very productive visit to Ghana that has taken her to Cape Coast, Kumasi and Accra to promote partnership programs with women entrepreneurs and alumnae from U.S. exchange programs. Her leadership sessions are specifically from women for women. They address the unique challenges and opportunities facing Ghanaian women as leaders, job creators, and contributors to private sector growth, and how their inclusion is critical to help Ghana and the African continent attain full economic development. I am very pleased to see many alumnae here tonight from the Africa Women’s Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP), Mandela Washington Fellows, the YALI Regional Leadership Center, Tech Women, and other exchanges… As women business leaders, you are at the forefront of promoting transparent business climates that attract foreign and domestic investors. We believe in your leadership and efforts, and salute your transformational vision to make Ghana’s economy stronger, more prosperous, and beneficial to all citizens.”
Read the Ambassador’s full remarks below:
Reception to Honor ARS Speaker Dr. Avis Jones-DeWeever
Remarks by Ambassador Robert P. Jackson
CMR, Accra, Ghana
June 20, 2018 | 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Honorable Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Otiko Afisa Djaba,
Honorable Minister of Tourism, Arts & Culture, Catherine Afeku,
Member of Parliament representing also the Women’s Caucus, the Honorable Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings,
President of the African-American Association of Ghana, Ms. Theresa Kwakye,
Each of Ghana’s women business leaders and Chief Executive Officers present here tonight,
Executive Director of the National Theatre of Ghana, Ms. Amy Frimpong,
Media leaders and journalists,
Distinguished alumnae from U.S. exchange programs,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good evening. Babs and I are proud to welcome you to our residence for a very special reception honoring the visit of Dr. Avis Jones-DeWeever under the Department of State’s Africa Regional Services Speaker Program.
The American author of the award-winning book “How Exceptional Black Women Lead,” Dr. Jones-DeWeever is an expert in business strategies, diversity, and women’s empowerment. She has also served as an ARS Speaker in several nations, including across Africa. As a prolific writer, she is the author or co-author of numerous publications. Her perspectives have been shared through a variety of American and international media sources, including CNN, BBC, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Essence Magazine and many more. She currently serves as a regular contributor to The Huffington Post, Black Enterprise and NBC. She is also a member in several Boards of Directors. In what she describes as her most important role, she is a mother of two magnificent young men, who will one day, she believes, change the world.
Dr. Jones-DeWeever is in the midst of a very productive visit to Ghana that has taken her to Cape Coast, Kumasi, and Accra to promote partnership programs with women entrepreneurs and alumnae from U.S. exchange programs. Her leadership sessions are specifically from women for women. They address the unique challenges and opportunities facing Ghanaian women as leaders, job creators, and contributors to private sector growth, and how their inclusion is critical to help Ghana and the African continent attain full economic development.
I am very pleased to see many alumnae here tonight from the Africa Women’s Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP), Mandela Washington Fellows, the YALI Regional Leadership Center, Tech Women, and other exchanges. As I prepare to become a private citizen, I am proud to have helped shape some of these exchange programs.
As we formulated and shaped a new U.S. foreign policy approach in Africa a few years ago, we understood that true progress in Africa could come about more effectively through the immense talents, ideas, and contributions of young African leaders in all sectors, especially women and girls. There can be no development anywhere, including in America and Ghana, without actively empowering women and girls to offer their best talents, ideas, and contributions to build a future of peace, security, and prosperity. Put simply, African solutions for African challenges.
We also understood then as now, as former President Obama declared here in Accra in July 2009, that the continent needed to build strong institutions and enter a new era that seized opportunities offered by the 21st century while also retaining Africa’s unique cultural heritage and traditions that have nurtured the world for centuries.
America itself has been shaped and blessed by Africa’s influence, legacy, and heritage. From a pained past initiated by the evil of slavery, African Americans have greatly contributed to every single sector, from politics, arts, music, culture, science, technology, and beyond. Africa is in our DNA, and that is why I am especially proud to welcome tonight the members of the African American Association of Ghana – the “triple A G” — because they too, are American ambassadors in Ghana. We have partnered this year in several Black History Month Programs and Step Afrika’s visit, and our work continues. Thank you for being essential partners in our public diplomacy programming.
Dr. Avis Jones-DeWeever’s visit to Ghana demonstrates our commitment to strengthen our partnership with Ghanaian women entrepreneurs and to build on our efforts. We hope that through Dr. Jones-DeWeever’s visit your professional networks will expand even further, and that you establish lifelong partnerships in support of your strategic business objectives.
As women business leaders, you are at the forefront of promoting transparent business climates that attract foreign and domestic investors. We believe in your leadership and efforts, and salute your transformational vision to make Ghana’s economy stronger, more prosperous, and beneficial to all citizens. I close by congratulating you for your efforts to “pay forward” your success by mentoring a new generation of young women aspiring to become business leaders like you.
Thank you all for joining us here tonight.
Let us now offer Dr. Jones-DeWeever a warm Ghanaian akwabaa!
