Mr. Soave will be discussing the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile and its impact upon Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt. This project has also brought to the forefront a discussion of the riparian rights of all the countries that border on the Nile, both the Blue and White. Mr. Soave will briefly cover the history of the water rights to the Nile and then discuss the current state of affairs including the involvement of China in this enormous project. At the end of his presentation, Mr. Soave will open the floor for questions.

Antonio J. Soave is the current President of Gulf Global Synergies (GGS) and Chairman and CEO of Capistrano Global Advisory Services (“CGA”). In this capacity he has assisted myriad businesses to expand their operations abroad, establish joint ventures and conduct acquisitions on a global scale in a number of business sectors including, but not limited to, the following: infrastructure, rail, construction, oil & gas, automotive, agriculture, biotech, high-tech and heavy manufacturing. He is also active in business restructuring and foreign capital / equity financing, as well as corporate turn-around activities. His geographic areas of competence and specialization are the Middle East, Europe and South America. Antonio is an International Advisory Council member of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP). USIP is an independent, nonpartisan institution established and funded by Congress to increase the nation’s capacity to manage international conflict without violence. Antonio is also the founder and current Chairman of the Global Foundation of Peace through Soccer, an international non-profit organization that spreads a message of “peace through soccer.” Antonio is also the former Secretary of Commerce for the State of Kansas. He was officially appointed as Commerce Secretary on November 4, 2015, and he served in that capacity until July of 2017. In 2008 and the beginning of 2009, Antonio served as the Chairman and Executive Director of the School of Business at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. Antonio is the Past Chairman of the International Business Council (“IBC”), a national/international non-profit organization that promotes a mission of “peace through commerce.” Antonio has a B.A. in International Studies from The American University in Washington, D.C., a Juris Doctor from the Detroit College of Law at Michigan State University, and a LLM (Masters of Law) in International Law from the University of San Diego.