Statement on the Farewell of Her Excellency Viviane Bampassy, Delivered by Paula Caldwell St-Onge, Chair of the Board of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business

The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business (https://www.CanadaAfrica.ca) is delighted today to recognize the exceptional leadership of H.E. Vivianne BAMPASSY, on the occasion of her farewell luncheon, held at the Royal Ottawa Golf Club among distinguished Ambassadors and High Commissioners, within the African Consular Corps, resident in the Capital Region of Ottawa.

The Chamber’s 30-Year Anniversary Program in Ottawa next year includes Africa Accelerating 2024 (https://apo-opa.info/3r1Vk3a), taking place over three days and welcoming leaders from across Canada and African markets.

Our Chamber is what it is because of the leadership of individuals, such as H.E. BAMPASSY, who I am pleased to honour today. We grow because of our members and the exceptional individuals who represent their countries and the African continent with distinction.

As an organization dedicated to accelerating Canada-Africa trade and investment through world-class networking and information-sharing events, the expansion of the Chamber into Francophone markets was given vigour and drive, on the accession of the Republic of Senegal as the first ever French-speaking country member. That is now a historical fact in the annals of Chamber history.

It was as a result of H.E. BAMPASSY’s leadership that others have followed and we today stand as a truly Pan-African Chamber of Business, with members in every geography and the special country membership – made possible by our generous sponsors to all, as we celebrate three decades of existence next year.

Annually we welcome messages from leaders, including the Prime Minister of Canada and Presidents and Prime Ministers of the Continent, as well as senior business decision-makers on both sides of the Atlantic.

Together with the Embassy of Senegal, the Chamber was pleased to host Senegal’s economic forum in Canada in 2018, and work in association with H.E. BAMPASSY on virtual economic meetings between Senegal and Canada in 2021, the Canada Africa Symposium on the Green Economy in 2021 and exchanges comprising groups of Francophone businesspeople from Ontario and Quebec.

As Chair of the Board of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business I wish H.E. Vivianne BAMPASSY every success and thank her immensely for her role in the Chamber as a country member through the Embassy of the Republic of Senegal. Your presence in Canada representing the great country of Senegal will be missed. You have our commitment that we will continue to support your successor in every way we can, as a not-for-profit dedicated to accelerating trade and investment.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business.