The South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) has been following developments in US-Africa relations in recent years, and has put together a set of resources to help observers and the media understand the dynamics at play.
About the Summit
This Summit is the largest event any US President has held with African heads of state and government and will build on President Obama’s earlier trip to Africa in 2013. At its core, it is about fostering stronger ties between the US and Africa – the world’s largest economy and the world’s fastest growing region. The Summit is expected to advance the Obama Administration’s focus on trade and investment in Africa and highlight US commitment to the continent’s security, democratic development, and the interests of the African people.
Some key questions about the summit:
- Is the US-Africa Leaders Summit a response to efforts by the likes of the BRICS, the EU and Japan to build stronger relations with Africa?
- Will the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) be renewed? For how long? Will South Africa be included?
- Will the Power Africa initiative be expanded? What role will the Energize Africa Act play?
Resources:
- ‘The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) at a glance’, a new SAIIA resource with key graphs and figures illustrating the breakdown and significance of exports to the US for South Africa and other African states qualifying under the AGOA agreement.
- ‘Three Scenarios for the Future of AGOA,’ a new opinion piece on the possible outcomes of deliberations on the AGOA agreement.
- ‘US-Africa Leaders Summit: Changes now and to come’, a new opinion piece on the shifts occurring in US-Africa relations and what to expect from the Summit.
- ‘Can the US and the Africa work together on a sustainable energy future?’, a new opinion piece on US-African undertakings on energy, which will be discussed at the US-Africa Business Forum during the Summit.
- ‘Africa Must Also Lobby US Congress on Trade Law,’ a new opinion piece on what African leaders should ask of US policy-makers.
- ‘The US-Africa Summit: An opportunity to deepen democratic governance,’ a new opinion piece on how the US can engage meaningfully in the promotion of democracy on the continent.
- ‘Navigating the US Congressional Process of Reauthorising AGOA,’ a new briefing on the Act.
SAIIA experts available for interview:
- Catherine Grant Makokera (AGOA and US Africa Trade and Investment)
- Mills Soko (US-Africa economic relations)
- Elizabeth Sidiropoulos (General Foreign Policy Relations)
- Agathe Maupin (US-Africa Energy Dialogues)
- Steven Gruzd (Human rights issues)
- Christopher Wood (AGOA and US Africa Trade and Investment)
- Michael Carr (AGOA and US Africa Trade and Investment)
- Francis Kornegay (US-Africa Summit updates on the ground in Washington)
For more information or to arrange for interviews please contact:
Mr. Hopewell Radebe
SAIIA Communications Manager
Tel: +27 11 339 2021
Email: media@saiia.org.za
Follow @saiia_info on Twitter for updates about the Summit. All tweets related to the Summit will use the hashtag #USAfricaSummit.
