WASHINGTON – Last March, with the United States falling further and further behind foreign competitors aggressively increasing their exports to African markets, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, issued a report detailing six actionable recommendations aimed at strengthening the United States’ economic relationship with the continent. Sixteen months later, with President Obama’s U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit beginning on Monday, he looked back at the progress that has been made in implementing the report’s recommendations.

“Fast-growing African markets offer enormous opportunities for U.S. businesses to expand and create jobs while contributing to development goals,” said Senator Coons. “The U.S. government has a critical role to play in facilitating partnerships with African nations that support our shared interests and boost economic growth. A year ago, I released a report detailing concrete steps the U.S. and African governments can take to strengthen trade relationships in Africa, and I’m pleased with the progress we’ve made over the last year. The upcoming U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit is a chance to build on our latest investments and expand our future commitments and partnerships with Africa.”

Over the last year, Senator Coons has worked aggressively with Administration officials to implement a number of the report’s recommendations and build a more effective strategy for U.S.-Africa economic engagement. Progress on the report’s key proposals is detailed below.

Recommendation: Increase the presence of U.S. Foreign Commercial Service Officers in sub-Saharan Africa to help U.S. companies navigate the business climate in the region.

  • Progress: With persistent encouragement from Senator Coons, the Department of Commerce announced the expansion of the Foreign Commercial Service in April 2014 – including four new offices in African countries (Angola, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Mozambique) and four office expansions in Africa (Kenya, Ghana, Morocco, and Libya). The expansion creates nearly 70 new positions and posts 17 additional officers globally to help U.S. companies get started in exporting or increase sales to new global markets. 
  • To ensure adequate staffing and improve staff retention, particularly in critical African posts, the FY15 funding bill for the Department of Commerce – which recently passed the Senate Appropriations Committee – requests a report on methods to improve retention and professional development of Foreign Commercial Service Officers, Department of Commerce staff, and local staff. Employing more local staff is a cost effective way to expand the International Trade Administration’s capacity and build the capacity of individuals in target countries to support trade.

Recommendation: Reauthorize and strengthen the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to diversify exports, expand country and product coverage, and increase its mutual benefit well in advance of its expiration in 2015.

  • Progress: The Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing on AGOA on Wednesday, July 30 to chart the path forward for reauthorization of this landmark legislation. The House Ways and Means Committee will also hold a hearing this week on AGOA. Senator Coons has held numerous meetings with U.S. and African officials on the matter, and will participate in the upcoming AGOA Forum as part of the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit next week. 

Recommendation: Improve coordination between U.S. government agencies and develop a comprehensive interagency strategy for increased investment in sub-Saharan Africa.

  • Progress: The report called on the President to designate a Special Africa Export Strategy Coordinator to ensure government agencies are coordinating effectively to help U.S. companies expand into African markets. Senator Coons, along with Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and John Boozman (R-Ark), introduced legislation in April 2013 to create this position, among other provisions. That portion of the bill was included in the FY14 National Defense Authorization Act, signed into law by President Obama last December. President Obama has appointed Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Africa Florizelle Liser to serve in this role.

Recommendation: Engage the African diaspora community in the United States to strengthen economic ties.

  • Progress: Through the International diaspora Engagement Alliance (IdEA) – a public-private partnership between the U.S. Department of State, USAID, and the Calvert Foundation – the U.S. government is working to connect African diaspora communities with U.S. businesses and cultivate opportunities to give back to their countries of origin or ancestry. IdEA’s African Diaspora Marketplace supports U.S.-based African diaspora entrepreneurs with innovative ideas for start-ups and established businesses in sub-Saharan Africa. The Marketplace’s business plan competition awards grants of up to $50,000 to winning entrepreneurs. Senator Coons has strongly supported this and other U.S.-government led efforts to engage with the African diaspora, especially when it comes to economic engagement.

Read the full report here: http://www.coons.senate.gov/embracing-africas-economic-potential