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Welcome to the AGOA Civil Society Organization (CSO) Network Site!!!


The AGOA Civil Society (CSO) Network is a consortium of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), small-to-medium sized business representatives, chambers of commerce and other groups in the United States and Africa that are interested in the successful application of AGOA for the benefit of the US and African people.

The Network was established by 102 member organizations from the United States, Mauritius, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Namibia, Mali, Lesotho and the Democratic Republic of Congo that were in attendance during the AGOA Civil Society Forum on January 17, 2003, in Phoenix,  Mauritius.

The AGOA CSO Network's focus is on increasing the volume and quality of African exports under AGOA and educating stakeholders on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean on this trade policy and its advantages.




Currently 38 of the 49 Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries are eligible for AGOA benefits



                                                                                                                                 

AGOA Civil Society/AWEP Session
of the
16th AGOA Forum
Lome, Togo

Presented to 16th AGOA Ministerial Session

The AGOA Civil Society Organization and African Women Entrepreneurs Program (AWEP) Session of the 2017 African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum took place on August 7-10, under the Theme “Civil Society and AWEP Using AGOA to Build Prosperity by 2025” The Session was held at the Radisson Blu Hotel and the ECOWAS Building in Lomé, Togo.

 The CSO/AWEP Session of the 16th AGOA Forum brought together more than 200 delegates from the United States and AGOA eligible countries throughout Sub-Saharan Africa to address the following issues:

  • AGOA Country Utilization Strategy
  • AGOA Eligibility Criteria
  • Infrastructure and Transportation Linkages to Make AGOA Products Competitive
  • Using Fair Trade to Promote AGOA Exports for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)
  • Using Micro, Small, and Medium Sized Enterprises to Strengthen Regional Integration
  • AGOA Challenges, Best Practices and the Way Forward


Download the Agenda for the CSO/AWEP Session


                                                                                                                                   

19th Annual AfrICANDO Trade and Investment Conference/Trade Show

Supply Chain Development and Competitiveness under AGOA
Apparel, Handi-Crafts, Beverages, Spices and Ethnic Food Trade Show for SMEs
2nd Track for Port Directors on Supply Chain and Port Security
September 20-22, 2017
Betty T. Ferguson Complex, Miami Gardens, Florida, USA 

AfrICANDO 2017 - A US - Africa Trade and Investment Conference/Trade Show brought together more than 200 leaders from government, civil society, chambers of commerce, and the private sector from throughout Africa, the Caribbean and the United States. The objective of this year’s event was to address supply chain development, trade policy, trade security, logistics/transportation, and other relevant issues in an effort to identify the challenges and obstacles to small, and medium enterprises’(SMEs’) competitiveness in the US markets under AGOA.

The 4-day event included a dinner, and tour of several points of interest, including the Africa Trade Development Center (ATDC)/ Miami Free Zone; workshops; a trade show, and a marketplace; reception/fashion show; and competition among export ready companies from AGOA eligible countries exhibiting during the trade show.


Download the Communique from AfrICANDO 2017

Download Photos from AfrICANDO



And the Winners of the MSME Competition during AfrICANDO 2017 are...

Cameroon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, and Nigeria (Ghana not pictured)

3rd  Annual AGOA CSO Network
Spring Conference
April 20-21, 2017
Washington, DC, U.S.A

The 3rd Annual AGOA Civil Society Organization Network Spring Conference under the theme “The Future of AGOA under the Trump Administration and 115th Congress of the United States” took place on April 20, 2017 at the Embassy of the Republic of Senegal, in Washington DC, and on April 21, 2017 in the historic Library of the House Ways and Means Committee in the Longworth House Office Building, on Capitol Hill, in Washington, DC.

The event brought together Ambassadors representing AGOA eligible countries,  leaders from civil society,  government, business,  members of the press from the USA and Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and a Cabinet Minister to focus on how civil society organizations can support government and business in reversing the current trend of declining US-Africa trade volume and economic engagement and strengthen the implementation of AGOA with the view of creating sorely needed good paying  jobs on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean under the Trump administration.  Download the complete Communique, including Recommendations here!

 Download Presentations from the Spring Conference

Fred O. Oladeinde, Chairman, AGOA CSO Network Secretariat

Harry Sullivan, Director, Economic & Regional Affairs
Bureau of African Affairs, US Department of State

AGOA Trade Statistics



       


CSO/AWEP Joint Session
of the


15th Annual United States - Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation  Forum
(AGOA Forum)

September 22-23, 2016
Washington, DC, USA

The Civil Society Organization (CSO)/African Women’s Entrepreneurship (AWEP) Joint Session of the 15th Annual U.S. – Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum (also known as the AGOA Forum) took place September 22-23, 2016 under the theme “The Role of Civil Society in Maximizing AGOA Benefits Now while Preparing for the Future Beyond AGOA.”  The event was held at the Reagan Events Center which is located in the International Republican Institute (IRI) in Washington, DC.

 

The Joint Session of this year’s African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum brought together more than 200 delegates from the United States, AGOA eligible countries, and others to address the following issues:

  •         AGOA Country Utilization Strategy
  •          Congressional Perspectives on The Future of AGOA
  •          Capacity Building and Technical Assistance to Support Trade Facilitation in Sub-Saharan Africa   
  •          The Future of US-Africa Economic Cooperation
  •          Enhancing Africa’s Regional Integration to Support US-Africa Trade and Investment
  •          YALI’s Role in Strengthening US-Africa Trade and Investment Expansion
  •          AWEP Discussions on The Future of US-Africa Trade and Investment   
                                                                              
                                                                                 Watch Live Streaming of the Joint Session


To  view video of  the Ministerial Opening Ceremony of the United States Sub-Saharan  Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation (AGOA) Forum. Introductory remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs; Opening Remarks by Ambassador Michael Froman, U.S. Trade Representative, click on the link below: 

https://www.dvidshub.net/video/484825/ministerial-opening-ceremony-united-states-sub-saharan-africa-trade-and-economic-cooperation-agoa-forum-introductory-remarks
YouTube Videos
U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman Opens 2016 AGOAForum

Assistant Secretary Thomas-Greenfield Opens 2016 Africa Growth and Opportunity

For information on past  AGOA Forums visit  our old website at http://www.democracy-africa.org/agoa-civil-society-network.html


The AGOA CSO Network is an Initiative of The Foundation for Democracy in Africa (FDA)

FDA is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization. Address: 1200 G Street, NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC  20005

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