As Prepared for Delivery
Joy, thank you so much for that introduction. You have done an incredible job as our master of ceremonies during the Forum, and your colleagues have also done a magnificent job planning and organizing. Thank you.
Hello everyone, and good afternoon.
As President Biden said, “In so many ways, Africa is the future—and so when Africa succeeds, the whole world succeeds.”
By 2050, one in four people in the entire world will be in Africa. That means what happens in Africa impacts the entire world.
This is why the Biden-Harris Administration is all in on Africa.
We’re all in as a genuine partner. Partnering for an open and fair society. Partnering for economic empowerment and inclusive prosperity—for all our people.
AGOA has played an instrumental role in realizing this vision, and the AGOA Forum this week allowed us to have constructive discussions on how we can get there.
We heard from labor, civil society, and private sector leaders.
We explored barriers that women, youth, MSMEs, and the African Diaspora face in accessing trade and investment opportunities and how we can use the AGOA more effectively to drive inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
We explored how to better use the multilateral trading system to benefit more people, particularly underserved communities.
We also discussed opportunities to modernize the AGOA program to realize its full potential as a tool for development and regional economic integration. And we discussed how the United States and AGOA partners can collectively create and promote stronger high-standard investment opportunities.
The commitment of everyone here is what will get us there.
No one government or institution can do this alone. Crafting the future, we all want to see must be a collective effort—a partnership where we continue to push and pull one another to make a positive difference in people’s lives.
Speaking of partnership, there are many who made this Forum possible.
My sincere appreciation to the AGOA statutory U.S. agencies – including State, Treasury, Commerce and USAID – and the entire U.S. government inter-agency who were integral throughout the planning process.
Special thanks to the Department of State for the warm and welcoming hospitality and immense effort to make the Forum a success.
A big thank you to the African Union Commission and the Trade Ministers and their delegations for the productive dialogue and engagement.
A special thanks to our private sector, civil society and labor stakeholders. Your dedication to AGOA will continue to make the program more responsive to the new challenges and opportunities for all segments of society.
My deep appreciation to the U.S. Members of Congress that joined us in this Forum. The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to working with our Congress to make AGOA a continued success for years to come.
And of course, the USTR team—thank you for all you are and all you do. I greatly appreciate each and every one of you.
We’ve said it multiple times but let me say it again—AGOA remains the cornerstone of the U.S. economic partnership with Africa.
Let us not forget that our work does not happen in the abstract—it impacts real lives across the continent.
Africa has a special place in my heart.
As the Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Africa, I’ve had the privilege of traveling to many parts of the continent, meeting different people and hearing their stories.
So, I know firsthand how vibrant and dynamic they are.
The workers and their families. The women business owners. The tech entrepreneurs. Young musicians. Farmers using climate-smart agriculture. And many more.
AGOA has been a bedrock to improve the livelihoods of so many people. And it has the potential to do so much more.
A lot of what we discussed over the last three days was precisely on this topic.
Making the program more effective and relevant to today’s challenges, like growing inequality and the climate crisis. Improving usage of the program by smaller African economies so they too can share in the benefits.
We had honest conversations about these goals. And we explored how to transform the multilateral trading system to benefit more people, particularly underserved communities.
We have a lot of work ahead of us, but as we bring this Forum to a conclusion, Ambassador Tai and I leave optimistic and hopeful.
I am heartened by our conversation with the U.S. Members of Congress and their commitment to reauthorization and willingness to explore how we can modernize the legislation to the benefit of people across Africa and in America.
I am encouraged by everyone’s views on how trade can and must help craft a fairer and more equitable future for Africa – delivering real opportunities across all segments of societies, including women, youth, the African Diaspora, and other underserved groups.
Over the past 24 years, AGOA has made a tangible difference for millions of people in Africa. New jobs. New business opportunities. New hope.
AGOA has not only strengthened economic relations with the United States, but also has helped create African-led solutions to the region's challenges.
And importantly, AGOA has created a community of policymakers, civil society, and business leaders, dedicated to using this forum to better the lives of everyday people.
I am confident that we can continue to make meaningful progress.
Let us move forward with enthusiasm and a commitment to the work ahead of us as we write the next chapter of our AGOA story together.
Thank you.
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