ITA Official Outlines Trade Promotion Efforts in Sub-Saharan Africa, in Senate Testimony

“The Obama administration is committed to encouraging trade and investment with Sub-Saharan Africa, which is a region rich with emerging opportunities for U.S. exporters,” said Francisco Sánchez, under secretary for International Trade, in testimony before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Subcommittee on African Affairs on the International Trade Administration’s efforts to increase U.S. trade and investment with Sub-Saharan Africa.

Sánchez will travel to Johannesburg and Pretoria, South Africa Aug. 5-7, where he will participate in the U.S.-South Africa Strategic Dialogue, organized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and meet with key U.S. private sector entities operating in the region. The ITA also said it is integrally involved in developing the “Doing Business in Africa” campaign, a partnership comprised of 20-member agencies of the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee. The program includes a special focus on outreach to African communities in the U.S. to provide information on U.S. programs available for doing business throughout the region.

ITA is also taking steps to establish a U.S.-East African Community Commercial Dialogue (Dialogue) as part of the administration’s new U.S.-EAC trade and investment partnership dialogue. One of the Dialogue’s goals will be to create business opportunities in key sectors through targeted trade and investment promotion activities.

The ITA said it is sponsoring a pair of trade missions to Sub-Saharan Africa in the fall. A September mission will highlight the aerospace sector at the Africa Aerospace and Defense 2012 exhibition in Pretoria, while a November visit to Zambia and South Africa will explore export opportunities in a variety of sectors.