Update on AGOA & Upcoming Events

 

We are delighted to share this Newsletter on AGOA and other related events with you. Kindly, share this information, widely, by email and posting on your social media page, and/or website.

  2018 AGOA CSO Spring Conference
The 4th Annual AGOA Spring Conference will take place April 18 -19, 2018 in Washington, DC, at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and on Capitol Hill.
 
The conference will focus on President Trump's policy on Africa; and will include a review of the Adminstrations' recent visit to Africa; trade numbers for AGOA over the past twelve months under the Trump administration; and will discuss the opportunity that bi annual AGOA Utilization Strategies offer eligible Sub-Saharan African countries for increasing exports and advancing economic cooperation under AGOA. A highlight of the event is a Congressional Briefing on the legislative agenda for AGOA that is scheduled to take place on April 19th on Capitol Hill.
 
The event will feature high-level speakers from across US and African institutions, civil society, the private sector, and others committed to expanding US Africa trade and economic cooperation.
 
Registration for the event is open to the general public and everyone is invited to attend, and the schedule is as follows:
  Wednesday, April 18, 2018
9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
3519 International Court, NW
Washington, DC   20008

And
Thursday, April 19, 2018
Time: 2-4 pm
Congressional Exchange on AGOA
Capitol Hill
Washington, DC 20515


U.S. President
 Donald J.Trump
General System of Preferences (GSP) Renewed 
On Friday, March 23, 2018, the President signed into law H.R. 1625, the "Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018," which in addition to providing full-year federal appropriations through September 30, 2018, extended GSP with retroactivity, from January 1, 2018, through December 31, 2020.
Importers should continue to flag GSP-eligible importations with the SPI "A" and pay normal trade relations (column 1) duty rates until the effective date of the Act, April 22, 2018, at which time programming will obviate the duty payment. (Read more)

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Trump Determines Trade Preference Program Eligibility For Rwanda, Tanzania, And Uganda-- USTR
Washington, DC March 30, 2018 - The President determined today the eligibility of Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda for trade preference benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
In response to a petition filed by the U.S. used clothing industry in March 2017, the Administration initiated an out-of-cycle review of Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda's AGOA eligibility regarding their decisions to phase in a ban on imports of used clothing and footwear.  The review found that this import ban harms the U.S. used clothing industry and is inconsistent with AGOA beneficiary criteria for countries to eliminate barriers to U.S. trade and investment.
Based on the results of the review, the President determined that Rwanda is not making sufficient progress toward the elimination of barriers to U.S. trade and investment, and therefore is out of compliance with eligibility requirements of AGOA.  Consequently, the President notified Congress and the Government of Rwanda of his intent to suspend duty-free treatment for all AGOA-eligible apparel products from Rwanda in 60 days. (Read More)  
AU Adopts Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area 

Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, and Chairperson of the African Union


"Today's agenda is to adopt the Agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area, as well as the Protocol on the Free Movement of Persons, and the Kigali Declaration, which expresses our unity in moving our continent forward. Taken together, these are surely to be counted among the most consequential actions that this Assembly has ever taken."
Click below to read entire speech 

Speech by President Paul Kagame at the Opening of the 10th Extraordinary Summit of the African Union
 
 

Robert E. Lighthizer, US Trade Representative

The  Chairman of the AGOA CSO Network Secretariat testified at a public hearing regarding U.S. Trade and Investment with Sub-Saharan Africa: Recent Developments. The hearing took place on January 23, 2018 at UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION (USITC) in Washington, DC.   The investigation was instituted by the USITC following receipt of a request from the United States Trade Representative (USTR). The request asked the Commission to provide a report on U.S. trade and investment with sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It asked that the Commission's report focus primarily on the years 2010-2016, to the extent information is available, but examine longer-term trends since 2000 where appropriate. The request also asked that, to the extent practical, the report provide the most recent 2017 data on U.S. trade flows of goods with SSA. Read the Chairman's testimony   
 

US-Nigeria Investment Summit 2018
 
The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria presents US-Nigeria Investment Summit 2018, highlighting the many untapped investment opportunities in Nigeria for U.S. investors and companies. The theme of the 2018 US-Nigeria Investment Summit is Nigeria is Open for Business. 
 
Hosted by Nigeria's Ambassador to the Unites States, H.E. Sylvanus Adiewere Nsofor, the Summit attendees will include senior Nigerian government officials and business leaders, who will provide U.S. investors with the necessary assistance and guidance on investment, establishment, and operation of enterprises in Nige ria.


Register and Information: www.UNIS2018.com   
8th International Congress of  
Women and the Diaspora
November 26-30, 2017
Conakry, Guinea        
Fred Oladeinde, AGOA CSO Secretariat Chairman greets H.E. Alpha Conde, President of Guinea & Chair of the African Union

AGOA CSO Secretariat Chairman Fred Oladeinde delivered remarks during the 8th International Congress of African Women and its Diaspora . The event was held  November 26-30 , 2017 in Conakry, Guinea u nder the High Patronage of H.E. Alpha Conde, President of the Republic of  Guinea, and Chairman, of the African Union. While in Guinea Chairman Oladeinde conducted  follow-up site visit with SME Winners of the 2017 AfrICANDO  - USAfrica Trade and Investment Conference/Expo. 


     Guinean Textile and Apparel Company
              Farm Cooperative in Guinea


Fred Oladeinde and Mamadi Kourouma meet with S.E. Marc Yombouno, Minister of Commerce, Guinea   


Diaspora Togolaise aux Etats-Unis 
 4 TH ANNUAL MEETING AND AGOA  ROUNDTABLE
*****    
The Togolese Diaspora in the United States (DTUSA) cordially invites you to its 2018 Annual Meeting and the African Diaspora in the U.S.' AGOA Roundtable

Date: April 28, 2018
Venue: 51 University Blvd E. Silver Spring MD 20901     Time: From 12pm to 12am.
The 4 th annual meeting comprises the Economic Forum and the Commemoration of the 58th Independence Day of Togo

Registration and additional information email: [email protected]

 
  2018 AGOA Forum
The 17th  U.S. - Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum (also known as the AGOA Forum) will be hosted by the United States Government, and will take place in Washington, DC.  The annual event  is tentatively scheduled for July* of this year.   The AGOA CSO Secretariat is poised to began the planning process for
the CSO/AWEP Joint Session of the Forum, so watch your inboxes, because we will be reaching out to members of the Network, and other partners, for your input regarding organizing this noteworthy event.
 
* Tentative date

20th Annual AfrICANDO - A US-Africa Trade &                   
       Investment Conference/Trade Show



 Join us  for  a Celebration of our 20th Annual US-Africa Trade and Investment Conference/Expo  - AfrICANDO 2018
and the
Launch of  our Digital AfrICANDO Marketplace for SMEs
"UN WORLD, ONE CLICK"

SAVE-THE- DATE

September 25-28, 2018 
Miami, Florida, USA  33131 
 
  • INCREASE your sales by using cutting edge technological services that link your business to the global marketplace
  • MEET  Buyers and Distributors from across the  US and  other Western Hemisphere that specialize in Apparel Handi-Craft, Beverages, and Ethnic Food and Spices!
  • GAIN insight from industry experts on topics that impact the way SME's do business
  • PROMOTE and MARKET your business by networking one-one -one!
  • BENEFIT from a one stop opportunity that is focused on assisting small-to-medium size companies looking  to export/import

For additional information contact:   [email protected] 

 
*The James L. Knight Center is a world-class multipurpose entertainment, meeting, and convention complex located in the heart of downtown Miami's business, commercial, and financial district.
 

AGOA CSO Network Membership

The AGOA Civil Society Network is a consortium of non-governmental organizations, (NGOs) and other groups in the United States and Africa working to facilitate the successful application of the AGOA trade bill for the benefit of small business in the US, and Africa. The Network was established by the 102 member organizations from the United States, Mauritius, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Namibia, Mali, Lesotho and the Democratic Republic of Congo that were in attendance during the AGOA Civil Society Forum on January 17, 2003, in Phoenix,  Mauritius.

The AGOA CSO Network's focus is on increasing the volume and quality of African exports under AGOA and educating stakeholders on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean on this trade policy and its advantages.
   
Become part of the solution by joining, today! click here!!! 

Our heartfelt thanks to those of you that have already joined and /or renewed your
membership!!!   We appreciate you and your support!   


AGOA CSO Network Secretariat
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