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Swaziland: Provident fund head calls for fair trade with US
Chief Executive Officer of Swaziland National Provident Fund Prince Lonkhokhela says he hopes that under the leadership of President Barack Obama there will be the promotion of fair trade to the continent, particularly the southern African region.He hoped that the United States of America will open up more of its markets for goods from the continent and that the purchase price will be mutually agreed and beneficial to the people of the two places.Prince Lonkhokhela said whilst he recognises the fact that Obama will have his own challenges...
Swaziland: Provident fund head calls for fair trade with US
Chief Executive Officer of Swaziland National Provident Fund Prince Lonkhokhela says he hopes that under the leadership of President Barack Obama there will be the promotion of fair trade to the continent, particularly the southern African region.He hoped that the United States of America will open up more of its markets for goods from the continent and that the purchase price will be mutually agreed and beneficial to the people of the two places.Prince Lonkhokhela said whilst he recognises the fact that Obama will have his own challenges...
Burkina Faso hails ties with USA, eyes for more cooperation with Obama
The relations between Burkina Faso and the United States have reached a remarkable level under George W. Bush’s presidency, according to the bilateral cooperation director in Ouagadougou, Francois Oubida, hoping that the U.S president-elect Barack Obama who is sworn-in Tuesday, will usher in a new cooperation era. The closer relations between the two countries was marked by Blaise Compaore’s first official visit to Washington on 13-17 July 2008, since he came to power in 1987. During that historical visit, President Compaore had signed...
Africa: Bush legacy is
The legacy of the Bush administration's policy toward sub-Saharan Africa is partnership, according to Jendayi Frazer, the assistant secretary of state for African affairs.U.S. policy for the past eight years has been based on a "very solid, comprehensive and holistic" foundation of partnership that has improved the health and lives of Africans in many ways, she said.Frazer made that point in a January 14 interview with America.gov, just days before President Bush, Frazer and other administration officials make way for the new administration,...
Nigeria Opinion: Repositioning non-oil exports
The desire of President Umaru Yar'Adua to fund the nation's budget mainly from non-oil exports is quite laudable. This quest to depart from the usual reliance of funding our budget from crude oil sales is long over due given the economic crisis that engulfed the world recently.From rising cost of food items, crash in stock prices to an unprecedented high cost of living, it is crystal clear that any nation that fails to diversify its economy but depends solely on one source of revenue to drive its economy is laying a foundation for crisis and...
Nigeria Opinion: Repositioning non-oil exports
The desire of President Umaru Yar'Adua to fund the nation's budget mainly from non-oil exports is quite laudable. This quest to depart from the usual reliance of funding our budget from crude oil sales is long over due given the economic crisis that engulfed the world recently.From rising cost of food items, crash in stock prices to an unprecedented high cost of living, it is crystal clear that any nation that fails to diversify its economy but depends solely on one source of revenue to drive its economy is laying a foundation for crisis and...
Opinion: Africa needs tough love from Obama
Africans are yet to recover from the pinnacle of euphoria that they engulfed themselves with after the election of their "son", Senator Barack Obama, as President of the United States of America. It would be insane to argue that Africans were the only ones celebrating: here in America, we know that more 69.5 million people voted for Obama, a number who joined in celebrating his election, apart from the scenes from all over the world showing millions also celebrating this incredible achievement of a "son" of Africa. With the euphoria comes...
Kenya: EPZ shift to special economic zones begins
The transformation of the Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA) programme into special economic zones (SEZs) has begun.So far, the EPZA board has started a staff organisation study, which will identify gaps and ultimately undertake staff reorganisation in line with Vision 2030 objectives.The process will in turn see increased investment, employment, tax revenue and the expansion of trade. Trade Permanent Secretary Cyrus Njiru, however, cautions that the positioning of the Authority to perform this new role will require a critical...
Swaziland: Textile industry faces upheaval
The gradual decline of the country’s textile industry has now become a cause for concern even with overseas markets.The local apparel industry has been marred with a string of challenges lately, some of which resulted in millions of Emalangeni lost out last year alone as a result of constant mass protest action by workers.The Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) in a newsletter posted in its website states that investors will have even more to worry about as this is only the tip of an iceberg of challenges faced by the sector in the...
Madagascar: There’s a story worth telling behind those handmade hats
“People ask me if I am really from Madagascar,” says Georges, smiling as he hangs one of his colorful, hand-woven raffia hats at his booth at the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church Farmers Market on Davis Boulevard on a Saturday just past.Georges Raelisaona actually is a native of Madagascar, an island nation off the southeast coast of Africa. He studied at Marshall College in West Virginia and the University of Colorado.He and his wife, Fanjarivo Rakotonirina, started a small hat import company based in Boulder, Colo., in 2002. “We both...
Will Obama administration make Africa a priority?
Just under three weeks from now, Barack Obama takes office as the 44th president of the United States. When he does, he’ll face enormous problems and challenges. But will those challenges deflect much attention from sub-Saharan Africa?Professor David Shinn of George Washington University is a former US ambassador to Ethiopia. He spoke to VOA English to Africa Service reporter Joe De Capua about the importance of the continent on the Obama agenda.“If looked at in isolation it’s very important. However, putting it in the context of all...
Mauritania loses AGOA eligibility after coup
The United States will eliminate trade benefits for Mauritania in response to a military coup in August that toppled a democratically elected president, the White House said Friday. "I have decided to terminate the designation of Mauritania as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country ... effective on January 1, 2009," President Bush said in a proclamation. Many sub-Saharan African countries are eligible under the U.S. African Growth and Opportunity Act to export goods to the United States without paying duties. Congress approved the...
Kenya: Doors opening for SMEs
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) will soon be introduced to the electronic trading opportunities, Export Promotion Council (EPC) officials have revealed.EPC Chief Executive Officer Matanda Wabuyele said on Wednesday that through this platform which uses electronic commerce technologies, SMEs will be able to directly sell and expose their products to international buyers thus boost their export earning.“From the electronic trading opportunities, they will graduate to the global trade directory services which will give them enormous...
Arusha forum: Calling investors, as others leave?
AS a large gathering of business executives from the public and private sectors was commencing in Arusha, sideline observers were wondering what the whole effort was geared to achieve, whether it is to inform investors from around the region (and even locally) of available potential in the region, or to showcase investment areas. The reason is that a few existing industrial ventures were closing down, and it is uncertain if the convening of an investment conference is to take note of that situation, or to ignore it. In what manner do current...
Nigeria: US empowers more Nigerians
The Government of the United States of America (USA) appears to be unrelenting in its effort to assist Nigerians get out of the shackle of poverty. This is evident in the number of assistance the U.S. Government, through its Mission in Nigeria, has offered various institutions and individuals in recent time.For instance, the U.S. Ambassador Robin Renee Sanders, recently led a delegation of U.S. Government and the U.S. World Cocoa Foundation officials to Jalingo, Taraba State for a practical capacity building programme entitled, "Enhancing...
Reflections on AGOA
Under President George W. Bush, U.S. aid to Africa has more than doubled. The continent receives most of the funding from programs like the President's Emergency Program for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). But some analysts say potentially the most successful U.S. initiative in Africa is not aid, but trade. Since 2000, sub-Saharan Africa has enjoyed broad access to U.S. markets due to the passage of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The legislation expanded the number of tariff-free...
Kenya: Obama regime will give Africa a sympathetic ear
When, during a 2006 visit to Africa, Barack Obama was asked what he could do for Kenyans, his response was: “I am the senator from Illinois, not the senator from Kogelo.”This question and answer captures his complex relationship to Africa via Kenya. His symbolism demands that he be a global leader who will bring a measure of peace and well-being to the Third World, and therefore Africa.But in practice, his rule has to be dictated by US domestic and foreign policy needs that will often run counter to those of Africa. He will, after all,...
South Africa: Tradeoff
Global euphoria over the election of Barack Obama as US President George Bush's successor has been tempered somewhat by the realisation that the Democrats have not historically been overly keen on free trade.By helping kill off the Doha round of global trade talks in September, America has already opted to put the interests of its farmers before the future of the global trading system. Under a Democratic administration there is every prospect of a rise in protectionism as the US slides into recession and unemployment bites.Indeed, what...
Kenya: Incompatible investment climate causes factory closures
A high percentage of firms that were involved in a Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) survey have either closed down or scaled down on their operations over the past decade as a result of the hostile investment climate in Kenya.According to the survey, approximately 72 percent of the firms have closed down while another 18 percent have scaled down on their operations.A survey that was conducted by the Kenya Association of Manufacturers in April this year (2008) reveals that a further five percent either relocated to other business...
US: Sen. McDermott praises choice of Clinton as Secretary of State
Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Seattle) reacted to the still unconfirmed reports that Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-New York) has been named secretary of state in Barack Obama's administration by releasing a statement praising the choice, and touches on how it will help him in his function in congress.Read his full statement below. “There is no American more capable or better able to serve our nation as Secretary of State than Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, and I enthusiastically applaud the news that she has accepted an invitation to serve from...
Sub-Saharan African textile and apparel inputs subject of ITC review
The US International Trade Commission (ITC) will conduct a review to identify yarns, fabrics, and other textile and apparel inputs that can be produced competitively in beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries through new or increased investment or other measures.The ITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, will deliver its report, Sub-Saharan African Textile and Apparel Inputs: Potential for Competitive Production, to the House of Representatives' Committee on Ways and Means, the Senate Committee on Finance, and the...
South Africa: In hard times, the country must come first
Trade negotiations are inherently tricky and require a delicate balance of selfish nationalism and generous multilateralism. SA, however, almost as a matter of course, chooses the latter over the former.Its position in the World Trade Organisation's stalled Doha talks are a case in point, as is its role in the impasse between the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the EU. SA trade negotiators will argue the point, but the reality is that, by siding with its less-developed neighbours in their battles against the world's major...
Gambia: AGOA training seminar opens in Banjul Friday
A two-day training seminar on the US Government Agricult ure Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) programme will be held here 14 and 15 November. The US Embassy in Banjul, in collaboration with USAID, the West Africa Trade Hub (WATH) and the government of the Gambia, put the seminar together, sources confirmed to PANA Thursday.“The objective of the seminar is to enhance the capacity of key beneficiaries of the AGOA programme in order to ensure effective and optimal utilization of the business opportunities AGOA is offering to the Gambia,”...
Recession in US, not Africa’s woes, is Obama’s priority
Barack Obama can make a soaring speech, but can he run a country?This is the other side of the anti- Obama campaign slogan – what has he done, what has he run?What he has done, and that in resounding fashion, is to get elected in an election where two-thirds of voters went to the polls, the highest percentage since 1908 and high for the United States. He swept through Republican states, uniting the varied minorities behind him and getting the youth to vote.Even if he did nothing else of any importance, the fact that he showed that the...
East Africa: Obama win great for region
It has been all over the media. History was rewritten last week by a son of the soil, as they say in Afro-speak. Barack Obama born in Hawaii to a white mother from Kansas and a Kenyan father from Kogelo village, in the Siaya district of western Kenya, is the US's 44 president-elect.Kenya declared November 5th, a national public holiday in Kenya soon after Republican Party presidential contender John McCain conceded defeat.All the East African leaders have congratulated Mr. Obama. Celebrations across the continent abounded through out the...
Africa proud of Obama, but sees little change in US ties
Barack Obama's historic win as America's first black president inspires pride among Africans, but analysts say it will not translate into concrete US policy changes to benefit the continent.While many Africans might expect Obama, born to a Kenyan father and a white American mother, to improve relations with the continent simply by virtue of his background, analysts say he will be constrained in his actions. Political analyst Daniel Silke said that once in the White House, Obama will find his options for dealing with Africa limited by broader...
What Obama means for Africa
The continent is celebrating Obama’s win as its own, but he will have to prove his commitment to its poor is deeper than his predecessors’, writes S’thembiso Msomi.It was the legendary intellectual WEB Du Bois who, in 1903, wrote that the “problem of the 20th century is the problem of the colour line”.Barack Obama’s historic victory in the US presidential election yesterday proved that the US and the world have made significant progress since the distinguished African-American wrote those words more than a century ago.In a...
Obama victory renews hopes of SACU-US talks
The election of Barack Obama as US president-designate has renewed hopes that free trade talks between the US and the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) will be restarted. However, Trudi Hartzenberg, the director of the Trade Law Centre for Southern Africa, said the economic climate was not favourable to an outcome soon on the Doha round. Institute for Global Dialogue researcher Brendan Vickers said Obama had taken a conservative line on protecting US workers and a huge shift on Doha was unlikely, but Obama was likely to strengthen the...
Obama administration expected to support AGOA
Kenya expects US President elect Barrack Obama’s administration to support the current trade arrangements under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa).Deputy Prime-Minister Uhuru Kenyatta said the Government would work closely with the new administration to expand the trade pact that has generated thousands of jobs mainly within the Export Processing Zones (EPZs)."As the current chair of the African Consultative Group of Ministers on African Growth Opportunity Act, I look forward to a close working relationship with President-Elect...
Obama’s presidency will strengthen trade ties with Kenya-private sector
The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) on Wednesday said that a Barrack Obama Presidency will create and strengthen existing trade relationship between Kenya and United States of America (USA).Speaking in Nairobi, KEPSA chairman Steve Smith exuded confidence that Obama has the ability to reverse the current global financial crisis.“An Obama Presidency means more trade opportunities for Kenya,” adding that cooperation between the two countries will be strengthened.Smith cited the strengthening of the “Open Skies Agreement” that...
Report: McCain may be better for Africa
US trade policy with Africa has been a peripheral issue in this presidential campaign, making it unclear if South Africans should be rooting for Barack Obama or John McCain as Americans go to the polls today.The US has grown into this country’s largest customer during George Bush’s presidency, thanks to the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) — meaning the outcome of this election may have huge repercussions for our economy.Imports from SA have cracked $9-billion a year, according to US government statistics. The Department of...
Ghana: Realising the potential of cashew production
Cashew has become an important agricultural commodity in its purest industrial sense and though this fact is highly esteemed in many countries the world over, Ghana is yet to tap into the rich potentials of this cash crop which has great benefits for the individual and the country as a whole. Agriculture accounts for over 60% of Ghana's economic success which is more than half of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and also, agricultural products form a large chunk of commodities for export. The country concentrates mainly on cocoa,...
Analysis:
Johannesburg - Zackie Achmat, South Africa's best-known HIV/AIDS campaigner, makes no bones about who he'd like to see become US president on November 4.Achmat met Senator Barack Obama when he visited South Africa as part of his four-country Africa tour in 2006 - a trip best remembered elsewhere for the rapturous reception he received in Kenya, homeland of his father.'I fell in love,' Achmat confesses in a telephone interview.Such is his admiration for Obama that Achmat's Treatment Action Campaign, an organization that lobbies for improved...
Africa: Continent needs infrastructure
Last week, the leaders from COMESA, SADC and East African Community (EAC) blocs converged in Uganda and agreed to expedite the formation of a free trade area. They also want to form a single customs union stretching from South Africa to Egypt. In their wisdom, it was the absence of such an arrangement that is frustrating trade among their countries.Economic blocs and integration are very good for business, but African countries appear to be jumping the gun here.The same countries aspiring to become part of a 26-member bloc have failed to...
US imports from Tanzania declines by $57.2m in 2008
Trade between Tanzania and the United States declined by 57.2 million dollars over the last eight months, a fall of about 10 million dollars recorded a similar period last year, APA learnt here Sunday.Statistics obtained at the US foreign trade division here, said the 2008 exports were lower than that of 2007, although there was a fall of imports from the United States.During the eight months of 2008, Tanzania exported goods and services worth 97.7 million dollars down from 100.5 million dollars recorded in 2007.The US exports to Tanzania...
Africa: Bush Showcases international development progress
The United States has ushered in a new era of international development, says President Bush, by empowering a new generation of leaders to lift their citizens from poverty, fight disease and increase educational and economic opportunities."People in the developing world have the capacity to improve their own lives, and they will rise to meet high expectations," Bush said October 21 in his keynote address to the White House Summit on International Development.Bush, along with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, U.S. Agency for International...
Africa: Obama presidency would bring new dimension to Africa policy
Electing Barack Obama the next president of the United States would bring a new dimension to U.S. foreign policy, particularly with regard to Africa, according to Howard Wolpe, director of the Africa program and the Project on Leadership and Building State Capacity at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars in Washington."Obama's ascendancy to the presidency will have enormous symbolic political power throughout the African continent," Wolpe told America.gov. "The fact that someone of African ancestry can be the president of the...
Is African dream in Obama or McCain?
President Obama. It doesn’t quite roll off the tongue yet the way “Senator Obama” or simply “Barack Obama” now does. Nevertheless, there is a very good possibility that one year from now, we will be talking about “President Obama” and “the Obama administration” as if his election had always been inevitable. Perhaps never before has a U.S. presidential candidate captured the hearts and minds of so many people who cannot even vote for him – entrepreneurial Kampalans are now even making copycat Obama t-shirts, pins, bumper...
Mauritius: New AGOA amendment gives textile sector a breather
The third-country fabric derogation granted by the USA to Mauritius is not only excellent news for enterprises and employees in the export sector but also for government and the country as a whole. It is also an opportunity to review the history of our EPZ especially in the current crisis.Our export-oriented enterprises – especially textile and clothing – will become increasingly vulnerable to fierce international competition.Our export-oriented enterprises – especially textile and clothing – will become increasingly vulnerable to...
Africa: Infrastructure is crucial to development
This was the overriding theme expressed by a variety of specialists and experts attending the 2008 U.S.-Africa Infrastructure Conference, entitled "Connecting the Continent," which took place in Washington October 6-8. The event was sponsored by the Corporate Council on Africa.Addressing the conference were U.S. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary and retired Vice Admiral Thomas J. Barrett and retired U.S. Marine Corps General Anthony Zinni, who has worked in more than 70 countries worldwide and now serves as an executive vice...
Ghana: Non-traditional exports exceed target
Exports of Non-Traditional crops in the country has exceeded its target of US$1billion, marked by the Ghana Export Promotion Council (GEPC), reaching an all time high of US$ 1.2 billion for the 2007 season.This remarkable achievement represents a 30.5% growth over the 2006 figure of US$ 892 million, and also contributing 27% to the total export earnings of the country for the 2007 season.Factors attributable to this performance, according to the Executive Secretary of GEPC, Mr. Edward Collins Boateng, at the 19th National Awards for Export...
Sierra Leone: Building on an export-sector-led economy
Export sector development has become one of the most discussed issues in Sierra Leone’s development politics. The previous administration of Tejan Kabbah introduced some credible initiatives to promote Sierra Leone’s export trade worth pointing out. The investment code enacted in 2004 could actually increase visibility for Sierra Leone’s progress in creating an environment conducive to investment and poverty reduction if properly utilized. Empowering SLEDIC (Sierra Leone Export Development and Investment Corporation) as a...
American Congress votes for derogation bill for Mauritian textiles
The American Congress has on Friday voted the Omnibus Bill, which includes a clause that will allow Mauritius to use raw materials coming from third countries which are not members of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to manufacture textile and clothing for export to the United States, APA learns here.The bill, which gives Mauritius the same privileges as less advanced countries had already been approved by the Senate.In a communiqué issued on Saturday in the capital Port Louis, the Prime Minister, Dr Navin Chandra Ramgoolam...
Western financial crisis to affect Africa's economic growth
The current financial crisis affecting western countries is likely to affect Africa's economic growth if the continent does not look for alternative markets, a top financial official warned here on Tuesday.Ugandan Finance Minister Ezra Suruma told his counterparts from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) members that Africa's exports to the United States and Europe are likely to be affected because the people there will have low purchasing power."We have to find alternative markets for our products," said the minister....
Apparel exporters assured of US Market
On September 25, the Kenya Association of Manufacturers hosted the United States Trade Representative (USTR) Director for Africa, Mr. Patrick Dean Coleman to a breakfast meeting to discuss Kenya-US trade issues.During the meeting, KAM apparel exporters to the US raised concern over the expiry of safeguard measures imposed on China in December this year, saying they are likely to lose their share of the US market.Following the elimination of the multi-fibre agreement in January 2005, WTO imposed certain restrictions on China’s exports to...
Changes to AGOA passed by US House of Representatives
Earlier today, the U.S. House of Representatives approved, by unanimous consent, critical trade legislation to extend trade expiring trade preference programs that have played an important role in the nation’s trade and development efforts for decades. The legislation, H.R. 7222, would extend the Generalized System of Preferences and the Andean Trade Preferences Act for one year. The bill makes important changes to the U.S. trade preference program with the African countries (the African Growth and Opportunity Act). H.R. 7222 also...
Nigeria-US trade hits US$35 billion, Nigeria-America chamber of commerce discloses
The Nigeria-America Chamber of Commerce (NACC) says the total bilateral trade between Nigeria and the United States in 2007 was US$35 billion.Speaking on Thursday at the annual general meeting of the NACC in Lagos, the President of the Chamber, Mr Olaolu Akinkugbe, said Nigeria occupied the 20th position in the US trade partner list.He said that the US primary exports to Nigeria, included grains, oil and gas equipment, machinery, vehicles and aircraft and that the US export to Nigeria in 2007 increased by 25 percent over the previous...
São Tomé hold major investment opportunities for Portuguese firms, says president
President Fradique de Menezes of São Tomé and Principe has said that "Portuguese investments have a wellspring of opportunities" in his country, where the government is working to develop a service sector catering to the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea region. Addressing company chiefs, academics and investment specialist at “The Investor’s Guide to STP,” jointly organised by Colombia University and the STP government, at the Lisbon headquarters of Portugal’s AICEP export promotion agency, de Menezes noted the success of Portugal’s...
Botswana: Exporters told to prepare for global competition
Local exporters have been urged to roll up their sleeves in readiness for stiff competition that will come with trade liberalisation characterised by tariff reduction.Opening the annual general meeting of the Botswana Exporters and Manufacturers Association (BEMA) last Thursday, Trade and Industry Assistant Minister Duke Lefhoko said these developments meant more intensified competition."It is therefore absolutely vital that our companies position themselves strategically to face this global competition," Lefhoko said. "For a long time, our...