Press Statement
Washington, DC
December 7, 2006
Ward Brehm, USADF Chairman, Joins Presidential Delegation to DROCWASHINGTON - December 7, 2006 - The Chairman of the United States African Development Foundation (USADF), Edward "Ward" Brehm, joined the official US Presidential Delegation that attended the inauguration of His Excellency Joseph Kabila, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa). The ceremony took place in Kinshasa on Wednesday, December 6, 2006. The US Presidential Delegation was led by the Honorable Elaine Chao, Secretary of Labor. Other members of the Presidential Delegation included the Honorable Roger Meece, US Ambassador to the Republic of Congo; the Honorable Thelma J. Askey, Director, US Trade and Development Agency; the Honorable Jendayi E. Frazer, Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, US Department of State; the Honorable Michael E. Hess, Assistant Administrator, US Agency for International Development (USAID); and Mr. John Fenn, Senior Vice President for Africa, Phelps Dodge.
Joseph Kabila was elected as President following recent presidential and provincial elections, wining 58% of the vote in the second round of elections held on 29 October. He is the first democratically elected president in the history of the Democratic Republic of Congo. He first came to power in 2001 following the assassination of his father, then-President Laurent Kabila.
Mr. Brehm extended his congratulations to President-elect Joseph Kabila, saying, "I am extremely honored to be part of the US Presidential Delegation attending the inauguration of His Excellency Joseph Kabila as President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The DRC is a country of great importance and with great potential, and the recent elections demonstrate that it is clearly on the path to full democratization."
"During my brief visit, I took the opportunity to observe the prospects for USADF to play a role in the DRC's future", he continued. "The DRC is a country worthy of support, and USADF will be exploring the possibility of establishing a country program in fiscal year 2008, funds permitting."
The United States African Development Foundation (ADF) is a United States Government agency dedicated to expanding access to economic opportunity in Africa. Founded in 1980, ADF established field operations in Africa in 1984, and currently has active country programs in 16 countries. Over the past 20 years, ADF has funded over 1,600 projects in support of African entrepreneurs and local African communities. Ward Brehm has served as a member of the Board of ADF since 2004. Mr. Brehm is Chairman and CEO of The Brehm Group and Capstone Advisors, two insurance consulting companies based in Minneapolis, MN.
For more information on ADF, its programs and its application guidelines, visit: www.usadf.gov.
Released on December 15, 2006
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