In her opening remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Mrs Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke, praised the association for keeping faith with its objective of serving as a credible alternative source of supporting equity and long term investment financing.

"We have been natural allies in the growth of our countries long before the concept of Public Sector Partnership (PPP) became the universally accepted economic model of national development,'' she said.

She noted that the theme of the conference, "Global Crisis : Opportunities for African Capital Markets'', was apt because of the association's support for the development and growth of the securities market in Africa.

Okereke-Onyiuke noted that though security exchanges in the continent were established at different times, the creation of ASEA in 1993 had enabled the countries to collectively tackle the challenges facing stock exchanges.

"We remain grateful to the African leaders that participated in the Abuja Summit of the OAU heads of state summit in 1991 who in their wisdom decided that each country in Africa shold set up a stock exchange as a way of promoting a balanced financial system.

"They also hoped that the exchanges will serve as elements of the proposed African Economic Community,'' she said.

APA notes that the ongoing conference also witnesses an exhibition mounted by different local and international service and industrial companies.

-APA