EX-IM BANK ANNOUNCES MEMBERS OF 2003 SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA ADVISORY COMMITTEE
The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) today held the first meeting of its 2003 sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee (SAAC). Four new members were added to the 10-member committee for 2003. The SAAC members provide expert guidance to Ex-Im Bank for use in developing policies to further strengthen its support of U.S. exports to Africa. Timothy W. Wright, III, partner and attorney at law, Burris, Wright, Slaughter and Tom, LLC, Chicago, IL, is chairing the 2003 committee.
In calendar year 2002, Ex-Im Bank supported 127 transactions in 18 sub-Saharan African countries for a total of $475 million in authorizations - a substantial increase in dollar value over the previous year.
The SAAC represents various sectors of the U.S. economy that have experience doing business in Africa. The members of the 2003 Committee and the sectors they represent are as follows (starred names designate new members):
| CHAIRMAN—TIMOTHY W. WRIGHT, III | *ANITA HENRI |
| Partner and Attorney at Law | Vice President and General Counsel |
| Burris, Wright, Slaughter and Tom, LLC | Corporate Council on Africa |
| Chicago, IL | Washington, DC |
| Representing Commerce | Representing Commerce |
| FREDRIC S. BERGER | DAVE KUNTARICH |
| Senior Vice President | Vice President-Operations |
| The Louis Berger Group, Inc. | Team Leader-Africa Team |
| Washington, DC | PS International, Ltd. |
| Representing Commerce | Chapel Hill, NC |
|  : | Representing Small Business |
| *JONATHAN J. COOK | *BUNMI OLUGBEKAN |
| Director of Credit Operations | Product Manager |
| ABRO Industries Inc. | United Bank for Africa |
| South Bend, IN | New York, NY |
| Representing Small Business | Representing Banking/Trade Finance |
| LAMINE SAVADOGO | JOSEPH F. WATTERS |
| President | President |
| Marison International Corporation | Hoffman International Inc. |
| Boston, MA | Piscataway, NJ |
| Representing Commerce | Representing Small Business |
| PETER S. SWAIN | *JACK WEBB |
| Vice President-Financial Institutions Division | Chairman and President |
| Riggs Bank, N.A. | Jack M. Webb & Associates |
| Washington, DC | Houston, TX |
| Representing Banking | Representing CommerceEx |
Ex—Im Bank is an independent U.S. government agency that helps finance the sale of U.S. exports primarily to emerging markets throughout the world by providing loans, guarantees and insurance. In fiscal year 2002, Ex-Im Bank supported approximately $13 billion of U.S. exports worldwide.