On June 14, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will deliver opening remarks for the 2012 U.S. AGOA Forum. The AGOA Forum will focus on enhancing infrastructure development in Africa in four ways:

(1) promoting an improved business climate and effective regulation that will encourage private-public partnerships;

(2) increasing regional economic integration through strategic development of regional transportation corridors, regional power pools, and power generation capacity that can be shared across borders;

(3) highlighting opportunities for U.S. exports in infrastructure- related products and support for U.S. investment; and

(4) encouraging the adaptation of renewable energy and energy efficient products. The Secretary will also address how these issues fold into the department's overall economic statecraft agenda as the capstone event of Global Economic Statecraft Day on which more than 100 embassies around the world are working to advance U.S. businesses.

Also addressing the AGOA Forum are Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economics Michael Froman, U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Ronald Kirk, Ambassador at Large for Global Women's Issues Melanne Verveer, and Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood.

The plenary and breakout sessions of the two-day AGOA Forum are open to the press and streamed live at www.state.gov.

Thursday June 14, 8:15 a.m.: Opening Remarks at 10:45 a.m., Secretary Hillary Clinton, Dean Acheson Auditorium.

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