AN agreement meant to forge new pathways for stronger trade engagement between the United States and Africa engagements has been signed.
The agreement has been signed by the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Business Council (CBC) and the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA).
The key focus areas will be on trade facilitation, services sector development, small and medium-sized enterprise sustainability, agribusiness, regional value chains, and value addition, among others.
This agreement will strengthen the relationship to facilitate closer collaboration, joint advancement of the private sector business agenda, and provide a platform for consolidating the voice of the Private Sector, according to Marday Venkatasamy, Chairman of the COMESA CBC.
“Today marks a major milestone in our US-Africa Business collaboration and partnership. Through this MOU we strengthen the relationship to facilitate closer collaboration, joint advancement of the private sector business agenda, and provide a platform for consolidating the voice of the Private Sector,” Mr Venkatasamy said.
CBC’s Chief Executive Officer, Sandra Uwera, said: “This partnership is a real opportunity to transform the region’s economic landscape, through strengthening business linkages and facilitation of market access to broader value chains, more so for women entrepreneurs, who are fundamental key drivers of sustainable economic growth and inclusive prosperity.”
With the signing of the agreement, the parties are expected to develop a joint implementation plan to facilitate joint programs for knowledge sharing, public and private sector dialogues, conferences and special events and trade missions.
President and CEO of the Corporate Council on Africa (CCA), Florie Liser, said: “With the COMESA Business Council (CBC) being one of CCA’s oldest and longest standing partners, we welcome this MOU and look forward to collaborating to support greater United States-COMESA trade and investment and stronger ties amongst our businesses.”
