Next week, I will be attending the 2009 Global Corporate Citizenship Conference: Focus on Emerging Market Development. The agenda is stacked with top-notch speakers and I’m looking forward to an informed dialogue. Keep your eye out next week for additional posts on the events at the Chamber of Commerce. See below for more on the conference.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Business Civic Leadership Center 2009 Global Corporate Citizenship Conference is designed for leading corporate citizens and their nonprofit and government partners in emerging market development. The purpose of the conference is to define the future role of the private sector in emerging market development.

Sessions will focus on:

* Developing public-private partnerships to facilitate cross-border trade and investment

* Providing information about the U.S. government’s agenda for foreign humanitarian assistance and overseas development and the implications for the private sector

* Discussing how aid programs in key countries that are affecting foreign direct investment and trade patterns

* Mapping incentives and obstacles affecting private sector involvement in overseas development assistance initiatives

* Sharing best practices for companies dealing with humanitarian assistance and development challenges in emerging markets

The conference will also include special events such as an opening embassy welcome reception and “The Globalization Debate” on why overseas development assistance should matter to U.S. companies.

— Norah Mallaney