AGOA in Action

The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Professional Development Program

The AGOA Professional Development Program (APD) is made up of a series of six study tours in the U.S. and 16 workshops in Africa that will enhance participants' understanding of how to effectively use the AGOA legislation to develop viable two-way trade relationships. The program also introduces African business leaders to U.S. markets, business practices and trade associations. The U.S. State Department has selected 58 African business and public sector leaders from 35 African countries to participate in the program. The participants will be divided into six groups for U.S.-based study tours focusing on apparel and agriculture. The program also includes a series of AGOA-focused workshops in 16 African nations. These workshops will allow the returned business leaders and U.S. technical experts to explain the benefits of AGOA to other African business and government leaders.

U.S. - Africa Agriculture Forum May 28 and 29, 2002

La Palm Royal Hotel - Accra, Ghana

Tuesday, May 28, 2002

Identifying Partners and Financing

8 h 30 Registration

9 h 00 Introduction: Ms. Julie Wallace, Program Manager, Corporate Council on Africa

9 h 10 Welcome: Ambassador Nancy Powell, U.S. Ambassador to Ghana; Minister Kofi Konadu Apraku, Minister of Trade and Industry, Ghana Overview of Financing and Technical Assistance

9 h 35 Mr. Robert Nartey, HSBC Equator Bank

9 h 55 Mr. Modou Badara Njie, African Project Development Facility (APDF); Ms. Caradoc Mills-Lamptey, International Finance Corporation (IFC)

10 h 15 Mr. Nick Railston-Brown, TechnoServe

10 h 35 Mr. Felix Semavor, Webster Bank

10 h 55 Break

11 h 30 Introduction of American Companies, Mr. John Houghton, JMHA Technology Management Group; Mr. Kim Barkan, American Transport Sales; Ms. Donna Pearson McClish, Mid West Grain & Meats; Mr. Samuel Fudzie, Trans Atlantic Corp.; Mr. Benedict Odongo, TetraPak; Mr. Etim Eyo, Afriwest Inc.

12 h 30 Introduction of African Companies

1 h 00 Lunch

2 h 30 Individual Meetings and Networking

5 h 00 Program Concludes

This program is sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) through the West Africa Regional Program (WARP)

Wednesday, May 29, 2002

Understanding AGOA and Financing Workshop

8 h 30 Registration

9 h 00 Introduction, Ms. Ingrid White, AGOA Program Manager, Corporate Council on Africa

9 h 10 FDA Regulations Regarding Agricultural Exports to the U.S.; Dr. Patrick Wilson, Associate Director, International Relations Staff, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

10 h 40 Break

11 h 00 Benefits of AGOA for West African AGOA Companies; Mr. David Eshun Yawson, Federation of Associations of Ghanaian Exporters (FAGE), Ghana; Ms. Giftie Sefa-Boakye, Ghana Fresh Produce, Ghana

11 h 30 Potential AGOA Success Stories, Mr. Moudjibou Adjibade, Société Bénin 2A & Fils, Benin; Ms. Fatoumata Binta Balde, Société Malipan, Guinea

12 h 00 Questions for AGOA Panelists

1 h 00 Lunch and Networking

2 h 30 Financing Workshop, Ms. Alice Bernard-Jones, Export Finance Officer, State of Missouri

5 h 00 Program Concludes

This program is sponsored by the AGOA Professional Development Program of the U.S. Department of State Bureau of African Affairs / Office of Public Diplomacy