Each year, the University of Southern California brings delegations from Africa to meet with business leaders, government officials and others in the U.S. But this year, the African summit has no Africans. All were denied visas.

Visa issues are not uncommon for people traveling from African nations. During her prior three summits, Mary Flowers saw a high percentage of her attendees at the African Global Economic and Development Summit, unable to attain visas.

"Usually we get 40 percent that get rejected but the others come," said Flowers, chair of the African Global Economic and Development Summit. "This year it was 100 percent. Every delegation. And it was sad to see, because these people were so disheartened."

Flowers estimated that she lost about 100 attendees, including speakers and government officials. The countries affected included Sierra Leone, Guinea, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia and South Africa.

'A discrimination issue'

"I have to say that most of us feel it's a discrimination issue with the African nations," said Flowers. "We experience it over and over and over, and the people being rejected are legitimate business people with ties to the continent."

A request for comment from the State Department was not immediately returned.

Flowers said those who were denied visas were called for embassy interviews just days before they were supposed to travel, despite having applied weeks or even months ahead of time.

One of those denied a visa was Prince Kojo Hilton, a Ghanaian artist whose work includes special effects and graphic art. He paid his $500 fee to attend the event and was asked to lead a session on filmmaking. But he held off buying his plane ticket until his appointment at the embassy on March 13, four days before he was supposed to travel.

"I was really disappointed when I went to the embassy," Hilton said in an interview with VOA.

Travel ban

It remains unclear why all of the Africans heading to the event were denied visas this year.

Diane E. Watson, who formerly represented a Los Angeles-area district in Congress, said she had called the State Department to ask for information about the denial of visas for would-be delegates to the USC summit. But the State Department isn't allowed to discuss individual visa cases.

With the heightened attention on foreign nationals coming to the U.S., there have been stories of more visas being denied to people from countries other than those named in the Trump administration's executive orders. But visas are routinely denied by U.S. embassies without explanation.

If there has been an increase in the number of visas rejected under the new administration, it's hard to verify. The publicly available State Department data dates only to late 2016.

Horus:
An African business summit should be organised in Africa, not in the US

jameseva:
There were reportedly no African delegates at a summit about sustainable development in Africa after they were all denied visas to enter the US.

The African global economic and development summit, which takes place every year at the University of Southern California was particularly quiet this year after about 100 attendees were barred from entering the country to participate in the event.

The summit aims to encourage businesses to invest in Africa and particularly to support initiative to provide clean energy, tackle the impacts of climate change and reduce poverty.

Mary Flowers, who chairs the summit said:

“I have to say that most of us feel it’s a discrimination issue with the African nations. We experience it over and over and over, and the people being rejected are legitimate business people with ties to the continent.”

Among the people, who were not allowed to attend the event were speakers and government officials from Sierra Leone, Guinea, Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia and South Africa.

Source - [url][/url]http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/african-development-summit-univerrsity-southern-california-cancelled-african-delegates-denied-us-a7637696.html

DerideGull:


Who in his/her right senses staged the African global economic and development summit in USA? What happened to the African countries?

jameseva:


You didnt read the part where the article said.. The summit is to get investors to come invest in africa, did you?

Horus:
An African business summit should be organised in Africa, not in the US

DerideGull:


Who in his/her right senses staged the African global economic and development summit in USA? What happened to the African countries?

jameseva:


You didnt read the part where the article said.. The summit is to get investors to come invest in africa, did you?

rozayx5:
i dont blame trump


we make america look special when they are not

ojlifa:
when you want to invent in something,you go there and take a face hand look.

Horus:


Yes I did; They should simply do the summit in Africa to attracti investors in Africa

DerideGull:


Who in his/her right senses staged the African global economic and development summit in USA? What happened to the African countries?

davidif:


You don't take a girl to meet your mom on the first date do you? You get to know them first then figure out if you even want to ask them out on a second date. You see that's how the business world works. You first listen to the proposition about what you are selling to you then after the presentation, you can decide If you want to know more. If Rwandans want me to come and invest in there country. They will have to convince me very well first before I even consider taking a flight there. This is how business is usually done. Not everyone is willing to just take a plane and fly halfway across the world for a summit when they probably have other things to do. This is just an introductory 'get to know you' kind of thing not let's meet your parents kind of thing.

davidif:


When you need someone's help you go meet them they don't come and meet you.

ttmacoy:
Your logic here is wrong because it was organised by Mary Flowers to help American companies recognise the investment opportunities in Africa.

She is the head of the consulting company Global Green Development Group and also the head of the USC Black Alumni Association hence why only those 2 organisations are sponsoring it.

if she truly wants to help American companies recognise investment opportunities in Africa why not take them to Africa which will be a lot cheaper and easier?

They were probably refused the visa because the organisations don't see to have much merit and also probably past attendees 40% of whom were refused ended up doing a runner or didn't even attend the summit at all.

Go and look at the website below. Her objective is to help US companies see investment opportunities in Africa so why doesn't she take them to Africa where they can meet a lot more small businesses who cant afford to fly to America and who need investment?

http://www.agedsummit.com/

This so called summit is supposed to be in it's 3rd or 4th year yet we can't see any photos videos reviews of past summits, attendees or speakers. We have no clue who is speaking at this event which was cancelled and it is for 2 days. See below website for another submit and see how they have a program with speakers and topics etc?

http://www.ccausafricasummit.com/

And for all US embassies in all the African countries to deny all invites it must mean that summit has been blacklisted for previous visa abuse or there are concerns about the summit.

shukuokukobambi:


And some unfortunate sods died protesting in solidarity with the African-hater some few weeks ago

I hope their family members were compensated with visa for life by Trump?

Let me go and listen to Trump's affectionate call to Buhari abeg

austinvsb1:


No dude.. Your logic is the very wrong one here. Its sensationalism at best. You want investors in your business? you meet them and highlight several reasons why they should consider investing in your business (country) and not several other businesses (other countries) available.

You really expect me as an investor with loads of options and cash to move my fat ass out of my country to help an economy when those that needed help never came to me in the first place? You dey use juju??

ttmacoy:
I disagree, if as she says Africa is a hot bed of investment opportunities yes I expect investors if they are interested to move their fat asses. Many of the so called African businesses are small and cant afford the expenses to fly aboard and if an investor comes to Africa he has access to meet a lot more African businesses than they coming over.

And even if they want to hold it in America which isn't bad the website is so poor and it is pretty much being organised by one woman Mary Flowers who works for the consulting company and heads the black alumni association at USC. No evidence of past events, no program of speakers and topics, no list of partners and expected investor attendees nothing at all.

http://www.energynet.co.uk/event/powering-africa-summit-2017

Look at that link for the US Africa energy summit and DC and compare.

all you have to do is copy and paste some text from the site to Google and you can see the source where it was copied from. The text on climate change is from the UN factsheet on climate change copy and pasted.

The section on iRoko is from Forbes copy and paste. Please look at it from the visa officers view.

For all US embassies in those African countries to deny all invitees don't you think the event has been blacklisted?

austinvsb1:


All the smart people are saying this.. So it must be true . The very best visa for life folks theee best So terrific!

austinvsb1:


All the smart people are saying this.. So it must be true . The very best visa for life folks theee best So terrific!

austinvsb1:


Like I said, the foreign investors part coming to africa instead of african businesses going up there to woo them is complete sensationalism at best. In a fair world, it should probably be that way but Reality dictates otherwise. That is the truth and you know it.

About the website, while I agree that it doesnt look like the most professional one, i have no reason to believe its the reason for which their visas were denied. According to the information from independent news, this event has been a yearly one in the University of Southern California which i'm sure you will agree is a renowned and highly regarded location to host a 'fake' summit.

My best guess for all of this: Donald trump and his discriminatory policies