February 12, 2013 Opportunity: Africa, as told through Twitter by Ian Koski, Communications Director [<a href="//storify.com/sencoonsoffice/the-opportunity-africa-conference-on-twitter" target="_blank">View the story "The Opportunity: Africa Conference on Twitter" on Storify</a>]<h1>The Opportunity: Africa Conference on Twitter</h1><h2>Two-hundred folks from around Delaware convened at Senator Coons' second annual Opportunity: Africa Conference on Monday on Delaware State University. Here's how it unfolded on Twitter.</h2><p>Storified by <a href="http://storify.com/sencoonsoffice">Office of Senator Chris Coons</a>· Tue, Feb 12 2013 04:38:36</p><div>The Opportunity: Africa conference is underway here at @DelStateUniv in Dover. #OppAfrica http://pic.twitter.com/yJ10Vg7YOffice of Sen. Coons</div><div>Senator Coons says there's 8,000 miles between Dover, DE and South Africa- but we are more connected w/ tech #OppAfrica #netdeKen Grant</div><div>#oppAfrica focusing on the challenges of security may lead to missing the opportunities for the USA @ChrisCoons #netDEDavid Amakobe</div><div>#OppAfrica employee ownership encourages buy-in discourages dishonesty & helps in navigating local rules & customers #MattMeyerDavid Amakobe</div><div>#oppAfrica the #USA shifting from Aid to business with Africa http://pic.twitter.com/0H2SYVoqAfrwood Brands</div><div>#oppafrica ambassador Elkanah Odembo, Kenya. The optimistic future of Africa. http://pic.twitter.com/xmVtXYK0Beth Birmingham</div><div>Kenyan Ambassador to US Elkanah Odembo says #Africa has become "a completely different continent" over the past 12 years. #oppafricaCatherine Cheney</div><div>#OppAfrica in the next 5 yrs the #MiddleClass in #Africa will be 5m something the #Chinese have figured out the rest not so #AmbOdemboDavid Amakobe</div><div>I love that there's so much talk about how social media and communication is transforming Africa #OppAfricaKen Grant</div><div>Kenyan Amb Odembo: mobile money tech has probably done more to reduce poverty in Kenya in recent years than any other initiative #OppAfricaJeremy Konyndyk</div><div>Photo: the #OppAfrica panel on security, hunger, and human needs http://ow.ly/i/1vqj6Ken Grant</div><div>#oppafrica Natural resources are plentiful intangible and intellectual property is rare. How can our generation fix that issueJoshua (ACE) Cassell</div><div>#oppafrica When spider webs unite, they can entangle a lion- Ethiopian proverb PARTNERSHIP BABY!!Beth Birmingham</div><div>Now speaking at #OppAfrica is former GWB speechwriter @MJGerson, talking about importance of foreign aid, development http://pic.twitter.com/KpTQ7kt1Office of Sen. Coons</div><div>Fantastic points on misguided attempts to target PEPFAR and foreign assistance in the budget fight by @MJGerson. #oppafrica #onechristygleason</div><div>Right on @MJGerson: invoking #foreignaid as deficit issue is "a form of damaging misdirection" reflecting "unseriousness" #OppAfricaJeremy Konyndyk</div><div>.@MJGerson at #OppAfrica: must view Africa as a market, not charity case. Dev'ping world is the economic future - China already gets this.Jeremy Konyndyk</div><div>#China is the elephant in the room what can you say #opportunistic #oppafricaJoshua (ACE) Cassell</div><div>Incredible speech from @MJGerson on #foreignaid "a world of misery is a world of danger, a world of hope tends toward peace." #OppAfricaAJWS</div><div>#OppAfrica #USA faces challenges of visibility & branding gives unbranded AIDS medicine in #Chinese branded hospitals talks abt democracy!David Amakobe</div>