Previous Forum details:

AGOA Forum 2016: The 2016 US – sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum (known as the AGOA Forum) took place September 22-26, 2016 in Washington D.C., United States. 

 

 

 

              

 

 

Please find draft agenda details for the Civil Society Forum further down.  

 

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“Maximizing U.S.-Africa Trade and Investment: AGOA and Beyond”

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A pdf version of the draft programme is available at the above link. 

 

*** UPDATED DRAFT AGENDA - as of 07 SEPTEMBER 2016 ***

 

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TUE SEPT 20, 2016

TUE SEPT 20, 2016             

 

09:00-12:00                Corporate Council on Africa Private Sector Side Event

(Location TBD, New York City)

REGISTRATION REQUIRED at www.corporatecouncilonafrica.com

 

This event will emphasize AGOA success stories in business and manufacturing.  Examples to be featured include: the recent AGOA-linked textile boom in Ethiopia, Namibia’s groundbreaking approval to export beef to the United States, and cocoa value-added processing in the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire.

 

THUR SEPT 22, 2016

 

1:00pm – 4:00pm       AGOA Civil Society Registration & Workshop on AGOA Utilization Strategies

International Republican Institute (1225 Eye Street NW Suite 800, Washington DC)

CLOSED TO PRESS

*SEE FURTHER DETAILS FURTHER DOWN*

 

 

FRI SEPT 23, 2016

 

08:30 am – 5:00 pm   Civil Society Forum

International Republican Institute (1225 Eye Street NW Suite 800, Washington DC)           

OPEN TO PRESS 

*SEE FURTHER DETAILS BELOW*

 

2:00 pm – 3:30 pm     Power Africa: Galvanizing the Power Sector to Support Industry & Trade

Hunton & Williams, LLP (2200 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC)

CLOSED TO PRESS

                                   

CO-CHAIRS

Andrew M. Herscowitz, Power Africa Coordinator, USAID

African Co-Chair: H.E. Babatunde Fashola, Minister of Power, Works & Housing (invited)

                                   

PANELISTS

John J. Beardsworth, Jr., Partner, Hunton & Williams, LLP

Stephen Gardner, Chief Counsel, Commercial Law Development Program, US Department of Commerce

Sean T. Long, Founder & CEI, Endeavor Energy

Anthony Molle, Senior Counsel, The World Bank Group

Greg Ness, Executive Director, Project & Export Finance, Standard Chartered Bank

Nicholas Okafor, Partner, Udo Udoma & Belo-Osagie

 

This session will address collaborative efforts between U.S. and African governments to improve the legal and regulatory environment necessary to spur private investment to meet the demand for project capital in African infrastructure. The panel will highlight how attracting private investment in the energy sector spurs economic growth and supports the industrial base, creating a multiplier effect on trade and investment on the continent and  about the policy reforms needed to attract that investment.  Panelists will discuss Power Africa’s consensus-based process to build the capacity of the local government, legal communities, and other stakeholders to attract and negotiate power project financing, as well as to regulate the power sector. Presenters will offer lessons learned, reflect on the impact on industry and trade, and consider opportunities for future policy reforms  that can take a like-minded approach with local governments and attorneys in order to improve the environment for business and trade in Africa.

 

5:30pm -   7:30 pm   Civil Society Reception

 

 

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MON SEPT 26, 2016

 

 

8:45 – 09:40 am        Ministerial Opening Ceremony

OPEN TO PRESS & LIVESTREAMING ON VIDEO.STATE.GOV

(U.S. Department of State, Loy Henderson Auditorium)

8h45-0850: Seating of officials

850 - 9h00: U.S. National anthem

9h00-9h10: Introductory remarks by Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Amb. Linda Thomas-Greenfield

9h10-9h25: Remarks by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (invited - Livestreamed on state.gov)

9h25-9h40:  Welcome remarks by Gabon Minister of Trade, SME, Handicrafts, Tourism & Services Development H.E. Madeleine Berre

 

09:40 - 09:45 am      Readout from African Trade Ministers’ Consultative Meeting

09:45 - 09:50am       Readout from Labor Ministerial

09:50 – 09:55am       Readout from Commerce A/S Kumar on USABF Outcomes

09:55 – 10:00 am      Readout from Civil Society (incorporating AWEP, Private Sector)

 

WORKSHOP 3 – Solutions for SME Trade Financing

OPEN TO LIVESTREAMING ON VIDEO.STATE.GOV

(Loy Henderson Conference Room)    

                                  

CO-CHAIRS

Melvin Williams, General Counsel, U.S. Small Business Administration

H.E. Axel Marcel Addy, Minister of Commerce & Industry, Liberia

                                              

PANELISTS

Dr. Frannie Léautier, Senior Vice-President, African Development Bank (AfDB)

Willy Foote, Founder & CEO, Root Capital

Stephennette Deddeh Snoh-Taylor, Manager, New World Finance / YALI Fellow

Michael Metzler, Director, USAID Development Credit Authority

Abdulai Abdul-Rahman, Head of SME Scale Enterprises, Ecobank Ghana

 

The availability of trade finance is essential for a healthy trading system as up to 80 per cent of trade is financed by credit or credit insurance. But trade finance is often difficult for African producers to access, and poses a significant barrier to trade. The estimated value of unmet demand for trade finance in Africa is US$ 120 billion (one-third of the continent’s trade finance market).  SMEs have particular challenges in accessing affordable financing. Globally, over half of trade finance requests by SMEs are rejected, against just 7 per cent for multinational companies. Bridging these gaps would unlock the trading potential of many thousands of individuals and small businesses. This session will describe how to create a supportive financial regulatory framework; including financial institutions, non-bank lenders, and other technical assistance providers; to deliver services to SMEs in need of funding as well as technical assistance on how to manage funds. Getting government to work with private sector and provide lenders with tools to assist with SME export development can lead to stable companies, more stable communities, and economic growth.

 

6:15 – 6:35 pm          Closing Ceremony

(Loy Henderson Auditorium)

OPEN TO PRESS & LIVESTREAMING ON VIDEO.STATE.GOV

 

Remarks by:        

H.E. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, African Union Commission Chairperson

Amb. Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs

                                                

Closing statements of summary and thanks, presentation of the 2017 AGOA Forum host.

 

 

AGOA Civil Society Forum -  AGENDA

----- For full details including speakers of each session, please download the agenda at the link below ----- 

 

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Theme: "The Role of Civil Society in Maximizing AGOA Now while Preparing for the Future Beyond AGOA"

 

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THURSDAY, September 22, 2016

1:00 pm - 5:00 pm               Registration (Venue: Washington Plaza Hotel)

Please take note that registration continues Friday at the International Republican Institute

2:00 pm - 4:00 pm               Workshop on AGOA Country Utilization Strategy (Washington Plaza Hotel)

 

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FRIDAY, September 23, 2016

8:00 am - 5:00 pm               Registration (Venue: International Republican Institute - Reagan Events Center)

8:30 am - 10:00 am             Opening Ceremony

10:05 am - 11:00 am           Panel I: Congressional Perspectives on The Future of AGOA  (opening Remarks: Hon. Karen Bass)

11:05 am -12:30 pm            Panel II: Capacity Building and Technical Assistance to Support Trade Facilitation in SSA 

12:35 pm - 1:35 pm             Lunch Presentation: The Future of U.S. - Africa Economic Cooperation

1:40 pm - 2:40 pm               Panel III: Enhancing Africa's Regional Integration to US-Africa Trade and Investment

 

Concurrent Panels

2:45 pm - 3:45 pm               Panel IV: YALI's Role in Strengthening US-Africa Trade and Investment Expansion

2:45 pm - 3:45 pm               Panel V: AWEP Roundtable on The Future of US-Africa Trade and Investment

3:50 pm - 5:00 pm               Panel VI: PLENARY: Presentation/Discussion of Recommendations for Communique

 

5:30 pm - 7:30 pm               Reception (Remarks: The Honorable Nina Walet Intalou, Minister of Handicrafts and Tourism, The Republic of Mali (invited))

REGISTRATION: PLEASE FOLLOW THE LINK ABOVE

Questions regarding participation contact: Annette Smith at

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