Trade and Investment Agreements (TIFA)

Currently no Free Trade Agreements (FTA) have been concluded on a bilateral basis between the United States and Sub-Saharan African countries. However, various Trade and Investment Framework Agreements (TIFAs) are in place, both with individual countries as well as a number of  regional blocs. TIFAs function to provide strategic frameworks and principles for dialogue on trade and investment issues between the United States and the other contracting parties to the TIFA. These agreements generally go beyond the BIT model. TIFAs have been concluded with a number of African partner countries, inter alia with Angola, Ghana, Liberia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda and South Africa, as well as various regional country groups, such as COMESA, EAC and WAEMU. Discussions and negotiations with the SACU group are ongoing.