非洲可能是美國企業的大好商機

While the U.S. economy continues to slump and company stocks plunge, trade and development experts are advising U.S. businesses of all sizes to start investing in Africa, a continent with many opportunities and growth potential.

在美國經濟持續不振，股票市場暴跌之際，貿易和發展專家建議美國大小企業都應該到非洲投資，他們認爲非洲大陸有很多機會和發展潛力。

A proMotion for an upcoming October Washington U.S.-Africa business meeting organized by the Corporate Council on Africa makes a convincing sales pitch.

由美國非洲企業理事會籌組的美國非洲商業會議將在10月舉行。

"Thousands of untapped markets, a vibrant and diverse continent with one of the most promising business environments in the world today, the continent of Africa is a place where smart companies invest."

這次活動的廣告詞非常吸引人：“數以千計沒有開發的市場，蓬勃多元的大陸，當今全球最有前途的經商環境之一，聰明的公司會在非洲大陸投資！”

Far away from Africa, in the central U.S. state of Indiana, in the city of Columbus, a representative for the Cummins engine-making company gives a tour of headquarters.

遠離非洲來到美國中部印第安州的哥倫布市，製造引擎的康明斯公司的代表在公司總部爲來訪者作導覽。

"We are inside the Cummins corporate office," said the representative. "Look at the wonderful sculpture that they have here, made of, what else would one except, engine parts for diesel engines."

他說：“我們在康明斯公司的辦公室裏。看看這個美好的雕塑，用的材料讓人意想不到，這是用柴油引擎零件作的。”

The company recently decided to put more focus on Africa, especially in Nigeria where it is trying to become a leader in selling generators.

這家公司最近決定把更多重心放在非洲，特別是尼日利亞，這家公司希望能在發電機銷售上領先。

Another company looking more and more at Nigeria is the family-owned Louisiana-based dredging equipment company DSC Dredge. The company used to deal with Africa only through unsolicited emails but is now considering opening an office in Lagos.

另外一家越來越有意在尼日利亞投資的公司是設在路易斯安納州的拖泥船設備公司DSC。這個家庭企業過去只通過廣告電子郵件來和非洲企業打交道，現在這家公司正考慮在拉各斯開設辦事處。

The Africa expert at the Washington-based Atlantic Council J. Peter Pham says these companies know what they are doing.

設在華盛頓的大西洋理事會非洲事務專家法姆(J. Peters Pham) 說，這些公司知道他們在做什麼。

"Certainly Africa is open for business and especially if companies are willing to invest for the long term I think there is a very healthy rate of return to be had in Africa," said Pham.

他說：“非洲肯定爲商業開放。尤其是如果公司願意長期投資。我認爲這些公司會在非洲得到很合理的投資回報。”

African economies are expected to grow on average by 6 to 7 percent in the coming years. Among countries with the most growth potential, there is new oil producer Ghana, with a national economy expected to grow over 14 percent this year.

非洲經濟體預期在未來幾年裏平均有6％到7％的成長率。經濟增長最有潛力的國家之一是新的產油國－加納。今年加納的全國經濟預期將有超過14％的增長率。

Chinese companies, many with state backing or their government's help, have been very aggressive in Africa in recent years.

近年來，中國公司一直非常積極的在非洲經營，很多這些公司有政府的支持，或得到政府的幫助。The International Monetary Fund says China's exports to Africa last year totaled $54 billion, while U.S. exports were at a much lower $21 billion.

Many major U.S. companies have had a foothold in Africa for years, led by soft drink maker Coca-Cola, and more recently other major U.S. companies are following, like Microsoft, IBM, Google, Procter and Gamble, General Electric, Boeing, Harley-Davidson, Wal-Mart and Caterpillar, to name a few. Companies with oil and mining interests have had a steady presence as well.

很多美國大公司已經在非洲立足多年。帶頭的是軟飲料製造商可口可樂公司。最近，其他的大公司也相繼跟進，例如微軟公司、國際商業機器公司IBM、谷歌公司、寶潔公司、通用電器公司、波音公司、哈雷－戴維森公司、沃爾瑪，以及卡特彼勒公司等等。與石油和礦產有關的美國公司也持續在非洲投資。

Development experts say smaller companies which have something to offer for Africa's growing middle class and infrastructure needs should also take a close look. A former U.S. ambassador in Africa, David Shinn, says the U.S. government should do more to help nervous companies take their first steps.

開發專家說，能爲非洲越來越多的中產階級提供商品或迎合非洲基礎設施需要的較小規模公司也應該密切注意非洲市場。前美國駐埃塞俄比亞大使大衛.辛表示，美國政府應該採取更多措施，幫助美國公司走出第一步。

"Part of it is cajoling the American private sector, having perhaps a major conference led by the Secretary of State or the Secretary of Commerce or the president even to bring in potential investors and encouraging them to go to Africa," said Shinn.

他說：“吸引美國民間企業的部分做法或許可以是舉行一次大型會議，由國務卿、商業部長或總統主持，甚至可以請來可能的投資者，並且鼓勵他們到非洲去。”

J. Peter Pham from the Atlantic Council says U.S. entrepreneurs unfamiliar with the continent have mostly negative perceptions.

大西洋理事會的非洲事務專家拉姆說，不熟悉非洲的美國企業家對非洲有很大的負面感受。

"Often the news coverage out of Africa is all about disasters, natural or human and other calamities, and not about the opportunities for economic growth for actually for profit in a win-win situation," he said.

拉姆說：“通常對非洲的新聞報導都是災難，天災、人禍或者其他災害，而不是經濟增長機會讓企業確實能在雙贏的情況下賺到錢。”

Increasing tax incentives, as well as the number of commercial staff members at U.S. embassies which has dropped in recent years, are some of the ideas being proposed by trade experts to help smaller U.S. companies better tackle Africa as a business opportunity.

提高稅務獎勵辦法，以及增加美國大使館的商務辦事人員是貿易專家提出的部分構想。專家希望希望能借這些辦法幫助美國公司較好地掌握非洲商機。