IESC Launches New Program to Promote U.S. Trade with Africa.Business Editors WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 26, 2002 The International Executive Service Corps (IESC) announced today that it is launching the U.S. operation of a new program, the African Growth and Opportunity Act In May 2000, the U.S. Congress approved legislation known as the African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA (Title I, Trade and Development Act of 2000; P.L. 106-200). (AGOA) Linkage in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, is a preferential trading area with twenty member states stretching from Libya to Zimbabwe. COMESA formed in December 1994, replacing a Preferential Trade Area which had existed since 1981. (COMESA COMESA Common Market for Eastern & Southern Africa ). Called ALINC, the program is funded by the United States Agency for International Development The United States Agency for International Development (or USAID) is the U.S. government organization responsible for most non-military foreign aid. An independent federal agency, it receives overall foreign policy guidance from the U.S. (USAID USAID United States Agency for International Development USAID Agencia de los Estados Unidos para el Desarrollo Internacional (Spanish) ). ALINC is designed to increase awareness of the African Growth and Opportunity Act among key stakeholders within AGOA eligible COMESA states. While AGOA serves as a catalyst for increasing exports from eligible Sub-Saharan African countries to the United States, ALINC is designed to accelerate completion of export trade transactions between African sellers and U.S. buyers. The official launching is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 6:00 p.m. at the Metropolitan Club, 1700 H Street, and will be attended by a delegation of prominent African and U.S. government officials (News Media: Please RSVP to Mimi Alemayehou, IESC manager for the ALINC program in Washington at 202/326-0280, ext. 28 or by e-mail at malemayehou@iesc.org). Speakers at the launch will include Erastus J. O. Mwencha Erastus J.O. Mwencha (November 15, 1947) in Kenya, is Secretary-General of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, he is married with three children. External links
Thirty-six countries in sub-Saharan Africa are designated as AGOA beneficiaries. There are 13 eligible states within the COMESA region. They include Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, Rwanda, Seychelles, Swaziland, Uganda, and Zambia. Some of these countries are also eligible for the textile and apparel provisions. They are Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Uganda, Malawi, Mauritius, Swaziland and Zambia. COMESA was also the first regional grouping in sub-Saharan Africa to sign a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement A Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (or TIFA) is a trade pact which establishes a framework for expanding trade and resolving outstanding disputes between countries. TIFAs are often seen as an important step towards establishing Free Trade Agreements. (TIFA) with the United States. IESC is one of the largest, private, nonprofit business development organizations in the world. Since its founding in 1964, IESC has provided affordable, expert assistance to entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized enterprises, non-governmental organizations and government agencies in more than 120 countries in the developing world and emerging democracies. IESC also strengthens the U.S. economy through trade, investment and alliances between foreign companies and American firms. For more information about IESC, visit the web site at http://www.iesc.org. |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion