Africa-based Imara Holdings Limited signed a License Agreement on 8 January 2010 with Global Alliance Partners (GAP) and became the seventh member of the international network of like-minded, mid-tier stock brokers and investment banks that aim to leverage existing execution platforms to expand cross-border capabilities covering private equity, pre-IPO, share trading, research, funds management and equity placement opportunities.

China has aggressively pursued economic engagements over the last decade especially with African countries. According to statistics from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, China's direct investment in Africa reached US$552 million by June 2009. The report goes on to say that Chinese businesses signed US$22.45 billion worth of new contracts in Africa by the first half of 2009. It is estimated that about 1,000 Chinese enterprises have been registered to do business in Africa. At the recent China-Africa summit in Egypt, Chinese Prime Minister Hu Jintao affirmed that inflows from China to Africa will gallop by close of 2010.

Bernard Pouliot, chairman of GAP and of the Quam Group based in Hong Kong, said that the inclusion of Imara in the alliance comes at a very opportune time. “Imara is good for the alliance and for China. Alongside other members of GAP, we are committed to hit the ground running when an umbrella investment scheme by African countries is developed and eventually implemented.”

Imara is an independent and privately owned investment banking and asset management group renowned for its knowledge of African markets. The group has offices in Botswana, Malawi, South Africa, the UK and associate offices in Malawi and Zimbabwe. Its working relationship includes Stockbrokers Zambia, Namibia Equity Brokers and Mac Capital Group in Dubai, which is one of the founding members of Global Alliance Partners.

The other GAP members are Quam Financial Services Group for Hong Kong and China, Capital Partners Securities for Japan, KT ZMICO for Thailand, Thanh Cong Securities Company for Vietnam, and Westminster of Hudson Securities in USA.

Imara are active participants in the sub-Saharan Africa and Indian Ocean territories’ financial markets and maintain one of the largest research coverage of regional equities. Funds under management exceed US$135 million and funds under administration exceed US$750 million. Imara Group subsidiaries are regulated by The Bank of Botswana, the FSA in the UK, the FSB, JSE, SAFEX in South Africa, ZSE and Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe and the Reserve Bank of Malawi. — (30)

Contact Person:

Ms. Coy Roldan
Coordinating Executive
Global Alliance Partners
DL: +85222172891
MP: +85293770772
Email: coy_r@globalalliancepartners.com