European Union–ACP Africa Dimension Stone Sectorial Meeting
THE EVENT
D-STONE 2005 is one of the first sectoral meeting to be organised within the framework of PRO€INVEST and certainly the first meeting organised for the African ACP Dimension Stone sector.
Its main aim is to facilitate, in all African ACP Countries, the co-operation and partnership agreements between African ACP-EU enterprises.
D-STONE 2005 is mainly one-to-one business meetings among European and African Companies, and over a period of 4 days, several other events are foreseen.The participants to D-STONE 2005, will have the immediate benefit to meet selected EU companies interested in partnerships in ACP Countries and selected ACP promoter and projects.

WHO SHOULD APPLY
African Participation
Companies running and promoting DS development projects are invited to apply. The companies should be registered in one of the ACP African countries and be members of AFRISTONE.
Companies should have developed proposals for projects which would greatly benefit from co-operation with EU or regional partner companies in terms of financial, technical and commercial agreements.
European Participation
Companies will be selected to participate in D-STONE 2005 on the basis of their real interest and compatibility shown in their completed Company Profile Forms.
Visitors and other possible applicants
D-STONE 2005 will be also open to other European Countries and will be attended by third Visitors and Guests, in position to contribute and support the development of the ACP African DS sector and in particolar the success of the future propjects, such as :
-EU and non-EU manufacturers of DS equipment, tools and consumables for stone quarrying and processing;
- DS companies from RSA and other world countries,
- ACP consultants involved in the DS sector;
- international Institutions supporting SMEs and small mining sector;
- financial Institutions both regional and international;
- ACP and EU sectoral associations.

BENEFITS to both ACP African and European businesses are:
·30-40 new attractive dimension stone projects from all ACP Africa, properly selected
and presented
·30-40 EU companies,including the new incoming eastern EU countries, interested in
Co-operation and partnership in ACP Africa
·Scheduled one-to-one meetings to discuss these projects and others with potential
partners
·ACP African country information booths (DS sector, Investment promotion, support
and facilities, infrastructure, legislation etc.)
·EU company booths, both for DS companies and equipment manufacturers
·Access to development finance institutions, the EIB, CDE and ACP-EU private
sector support programme
·Round tables and workshops on key-topical issues
·Follow-up project support (direct co-financing assistance to the company) under
PRO€INVEST Programme. Participants to the Event could benefit of post-Event grant
co-financings for part of any pre-investment programmes
·Comprehensive Dimension Stone sector report with:
- ACP African countries profiles specifically addressed to DS investors
- Project profiles of the projects participating to the event (including colour photos)
- Company profiles of ACP and EU participants
- Any agreement would develop during or after the Event, will be supported upon request by PRO€INVEST with direct technical-marketing assistance to the project as co-financed grants

THE ORGANIZERS
The ACP Community of African countries and the EU Commission are acting together under the terms of the Cotonou Agreement to sponsor the ACP Africa – EU Dimension Stone Sector Meeting D-STONE 2005.
It’s being organised within the framework of the new ACP-EU Investment Promotion Programme PRO€INVEST and is managed by the PRO€INVEST Implementation Service (PRIMS-CDE).
In particular D-STONE 2005 is organised by the Kenya Building and Civil Engineering Contractors (KABCEC) in co-operation with AFRISTONE (Association of African DS producers)and the following EU DS Associations: ASSOMARMI (Italy), ASSOC. GRANITEIROS PORRINHO (Spain), ASSOCIAÇÃO DOS INDUSTRIAIS DA PEDRA DO NORTE (Portugal).