U.S. Announces New African Trade Capacity Building Initiative at AGOA Forum

LUSAKA, Zambia—The United States announced an additional commitment of up to $30 million per year for four years, subject to availability of funds, to boost trade capacity in Africa. United States Trade Representative, Ron Kirk, made the announcement during the opening session of the Tenth African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum today in Lusaka, Zambia.

This support will be directed to African Trade Hubs through the African Competitiveness and Trade Expansion Initiative (ACTE). The trade hubs—located in Accra, Ghana (with a satellite office in Dakar, Senegal); Nairobi, Kenya; and Gaborone, Botswana—are regional leaders in trade-related technical assistance that promote increased trade between Africa and the United States, among other African countries, and with the world. Enacted in 2000, AGOA aims to boost economic growth in Africa and, by extension, increase regional stability, and reduce poverty by providing duty-free entry to the U.S. market for most goods produced in eligible sub-Saharan African countries.