COMMUNIQUE AT THE 3RD SOUTH EAST NIGERIA ECONOMIC SUMMIT ORGANISED BY THE SOUTH EAST REGION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (SEREDEC) HELD AT THE BASE EVENT CENTRE, BETWEEN APPEAL COURT & WAEC, INDEPENDENCE LAYOUT, ENUGU ON 11TH – 12TH DECEMBER, 2018.

1. SEREDEC and partners: PERL ARC and Ford Foundation organized the 3rd SEES which attracted high level personalities from private sector and the five governments of the South East. The over 500 participants came from all over the world.
2. The Governor of Enugu State sent the Director General of South East Governors’ Forum to open the Summit.
3. The former Governor of Anambra State and pioneer Chairman of South East Governors’ Forum who is now the Vice presidential candidate of PDP was the Keynote Speaker.
4. A sampling of the international attendees included Dr. Walid Farghal, Director General Annual Investment Meeting, UAE Ministry of Economy: under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vic President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. A sampling of the Nigerian participants include: Dr. Paschal Dozie, Chief Mabzulike Amaechi, Sen. Ben Obi, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu, Chief Dubem Onyia, Dr. Alex Chika Okafor (Chicason), etc
5. There were vigorous discussions in the on-going SEREDEC projects in rail network, gas pipeline network, hospital development, ICT, and the South East Finance Company.
6. There were presentations on key industrial sectors such as Enyimba Economic City, Geometric Power Project, in Aba, Aba Ariaria shoe manufacturers.
7. There were industrialists such as Dr Chika Okafor, Chairman, Chicason Group of Companies, ICT entrepreneurs, agribusiness industrialists.
8. There were excellent presentations on the Ease of Doing Business, particularly a World Bank report on the Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria and the South East.
9. The UAE Annual Investment Meeting signed an MOU with SEREDEC Board on Investment and Development partners, this was the one of the major highlights of the Summit.

Resolutions
1. Within one year to conclude feasibility study of the rail network, gas pipeline and hospital projects.
2. The SEFCO project development team will have completed the plans for capitalization by year end.
3. SEREDEC to set up mechanism for returning to the traditional method of training and certifying the vocational training for youths in order to give them job opportunities.
4. SEREDEC to support Aba leather manufacturing cluster.
5. SEREDEC to work with project developers to begin implementation of CSR that give sustainable empowerment to the communities and people.
6. SEREDEC to set up innovation center for providing technical innovation for SE entrepreneurs.
7. The Commissioners of Commerce and industries of the South East States were enjoined to provide and publish a properly “manned” compliant hotline.