AGOA – BACK TO THE FUTURE : NEW INTEREST IN AFRICA BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum – 2001
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum is a gathering of senior government officials from the United States and 38 Sub-Saharan African AGOA-eligible countries to discuss ways to increase economic cooperation and trade between the two regions. The forum also includes participation from the African Union and regional economic communities.
African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) – State Department
The Forum brought together senior government officials from the United States and 38 Sub-Saharan African AGOA-eligible countries to discuss ways to boost economic cooperation and trade between the United States and Africa. The African Union and regional economic communities will also participate. Enacted in May 2000, ….
The 2001 AGOA Forum was co-chaired by Secretary of State Colin L. Powell, US Trade Representative Ambassador Robert B. Zoellick, Secretary of Commerce Donald L. Evans, and Secretary of the Treasury Paul H. O’Neill. The forum was originally scheduled for October 4–5, 2001, but was postponed after the September 11 terrorist attacks.
The AGOA is a key part of the US’s economic policy and commercial engagement with Africa. It was signed into law by former President Bill Clinton in May 2000, to improve trade and investment ties with sub-Saharan Africa. The act’s objectives include:
- Encouraging a more active role in global trade negotiations
- Making African countries more attractive commercial partners for US companies
- Hosting a US-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Forum
The AGOA provides duty-free treatment to goods of designated sub-Saharan African countries (SSAs). Eligible sub-Saharan African countries receive duty-free access to the US market for more than 1,800 products. Notable AGOA-eligible items include:
- Certain apparel
- Handloomed, handmade, and folklore articles
- Ethnic printed fabrics
- Yarns, fabrics, textiles, and made-up textile articles
Coordinated par Dr. Said El Mansour Cherkaoui with Collaboration and Support from the following organizations:
- U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Embarcadero – Port of Oakland
- U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of San Francisco
- International Trade & Investment – California Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development ›
- East Bay Center for International Trade Development – Director Fazal Sharif Fazale
- East Bay Center for Small Business Development – Executive Director Dr. Hameed Faheem
- California Center for International Trade Development Centers
- California Governor Office of Business and International Trade, Sacramento
- Oakland Chamber of Commerce – James White
- San Francisco World Trade Center
- San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
- San Jose Chamber of Commerce
- Port of Oakland
- San Francisco World Trade Center, Oakland
- Peralta Community College District, Oakland
- Vista Community College, Berkeley
- Golden Gate University, San Francisco
- Global Center for Trade – Glocentra
Said El Mansour Cherkaoui: Africa, Europe, USA, Latin America and Asia
https://africanaenterprise.com/africa-agoa-intl-conference/
African Moroccan Diaspora – World-Class Executives – African Moroccan Diaspora – World-Class Executives – Said El Mansour Cherkaoui Ph.D. • Said El Mansour Cherkaoui Ph.D. • •
AFRICA TIME AND BACK TO THE FUTURE
A PICTURE OF AFRICA WORTH THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS HANDWRITING AFRICAN STORIES and BUILDING AFRICAN MEMORIES
Said El Mansour Cherkaoui Ph.D. Building Local, Regional and International Business in Northern California with Africa
The picture displayed here above with the Africa Clock is the time and period of professional endeavors dating some years ago.
During that time, I organized in Oakland, California, the First International Conference on Africa and AGOA in the mid-1990s during the Clinton Presidential Administration.
The East Bay Center for International Trade Development was the Host of such an African Event attended by the top brass of African and African-American Communities.
I invited Dr. Babacar Ndiaye [Rahma wa Ghofrane fi Firdousse Naim Ameen], who is holding my right and left hands is Dr. Babacar Ndiaye, 5th president of the AfDB from 1985 to 1995, who is known for having transformed the Bank into a “Triple A” institution, a rating it still holds today. He supported the creation of many African institutions such as the African Export-Import Bank, Shelter Afrique, and the African Business Roundtable.
The picture with Dr. Babacar Ndiaye was taken at the Conference Room of the Claremont Hotel, Oakland, where the International Conference on Africa and AGOA took place. On my right hand is Dr. Faheem Executive Director of East Bay Small Business Development and East Bay Center for International Trade Development (EBSBC and EBCITD), Oakland and San Francisco Bay.
At the EBSBC and the EBCITD, I worked as a Senior Consultant and Business Consultant from 1993 to 2001 and from 2003 to 2007, respectively with the following Executive Director Selma Taylor, Fazale Sharif, and Dr. James Garrett.
Dr. Said El Mansour Cherkaoui in African Time : International Conference: Africa and AGOA
Needs additional information or have inquiries on Africa and AGOA, please send an email to: saidcherkaoui@africanaenterprise.com
International Conference on Africa:
Dr. Said El Mansour Cherkaoui Publications on Africa
Ethiopia, Guinea, and Mali Excluded from the AGOA
January 2, 2022 – Editor: Said El Mansour Cherkaoui Ethiopia, Guinea and Mali excluded the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Offered by the United States of America AGOA is trade preferences program that allows sub-Saharan African countries to export to the United States duty-free Ambassador Katherine Tai, U.S. representative for foreign trade, announced on Saturday [1/1/2022]: “The United States…Continue Reading →
Éthiopie, Guinée et Mali exclus de l’AGOA
January 2, 2022 – Editor: Said El Mansour Cherkaoui L’Éthiopie, la Guinée et le Mali furent exclus de l’African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) par les États-Unis d’Amérique. L’AGOA est un programme de préférences commerciales et tarifaires qui permet aux pays d’Afrique subsaharienne d’exporter vers les États-Unis en franchise de droits. L’ambassadrice Katherine Tai, représentante des États-Unis pour le…Continue Reading →
Ethiopia: Tigray Torn in Sole of the Lion’s Foot
November 3, 2021 – Ethiopia Against Small State of Tigray In case you missed it: Cessation of Hostilities Agreement between the Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray Peoples’ Liberation Front (TPLF). The AfricanUnion (AU) High Representative for the Horn of Africa, Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria, together with the other members of the High-Level Panel for the AU-led…Continue Reading →
Afrique – Africa – Said El Mansour Cherkaoui
September 26, 2022 – Said El Mansour Cherkaoui ★ Africa ★ Afrique 🌎 Said El Mansour Cherkaoui 🌍 14 – 24 August 2022 AFRICA FACING ITS OWN AFRICAN DESTINY Africa Regional and Trade Integration is presented in its expression of development and modernization of the infrastructure and transfer of values between African countries. Articles and Reports on Africa developed by…Continue Reading →
Africa News
September 24, 2020 – ★ Africanation Africa – Afrique – África – أفريقيا – 非洲 ★ Articles in English ★ AFRICA, EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY, NEWS & ANALYSIS East Africa Community: Potentialities & Realities According to the World Bank, the Democratic Republic Congo has some of the highest levels of poverty in the world. The Joining of the Democratic Republic of Congo the…Continue Reading →
World News Cocktail Mix
by Moroccanational June 30, 2022 – Energie – Energy: Africa Afrique África أفريقيا 非洲
by Moroccanational June 1, 2022
Dr. Said El Mansour Cherkaoui
★ Organizer of the First International Conference on Africa & AGOA in California ★
★ Strategic Catalyst for U.S.–Africa Trade, Investment & Diaspora Engagement ★
My Historic Leadership on AGOA and U.S.–Africa Relations
More than 20 years ago, during the Presidency of Bill Clinton and at the time when the late Ron Brown became the first African‑American U.S. Secretary of Commerce, I organized the first International Conference on Africa and AGOA ever held in California and the San Francisco Bay Area.
This pioneering event brought together U.S. federal agencies, California state institutions, chambers of commerce, academic centers, African dignitaries, and international partners to promote awareness of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and to strengthen economic, political, and cultural ties between California, the United States, and Africa.
At that time, very few institutions in the United States were paying attention to Africa’s economic potential. My conference was designed to stimulate U.S. business interest, mobilize political leadership, and empower both the African-American and African Diaspora communities to play a central role in shaping U.S.–Africa relations.
This was the first conference of its magnitude in California’s history, and it set the foundation for the conversations and initiatives that many organizations—including those emerging today—are only now beginning to explore.
Institutions That Collaborated Under My Leadership
- U.S. Department of Commerce – Port of Oakland Office
- U.S. Department of Commerce – San Francisco Office
- California Governor’s Office of Business & International Trade
- East Bay Center for International Trade Development
- East Bay Small Business Development Center
- California CITD Centers
- Oakland Chamber of Commerce
- San Francisco World Trade Center
- San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
- San Jose Chamber of Commerce
- Port of Oakland
- Peralta Community College District
- Vista Community College, Berkeley
- Golden Gate University
- Global Center for Trade – Glocentra
