Hillary Clinton to Grace Lusaka’s Agoa Forum

2 June 2011

THE American government has offcially confirmed that secretary of State Hillary Clinton will attend the 10th African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum which will be held in Zambia next week.

Political, economic officer at the American embassy in Zambia Phil Nervig said Mrs Clinton was expected to lead a delegation of nearly 200 people for the AGOA forum which would consist of senior government officials, members of the congress and intra-regional groups.

Mrs Clinton, who will also hold a meeting with President Rupiah Banda, would later proceed to Tanzania and Ethiopia with her delegation.

She will be the first American Secretary of State to visit Zambia since 1976 when then Secretary of State Henry Kissinger last visited.

In an interview in Lusaka yesterday, Mr Nervig said the AGOA programme was an important tool which could be used to promote trade relations

between the American and Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries.

“I can confirm that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has confirmed her plan to lead the delegation for the AGOA Forum and she will be leading a very large delegation which will include American trade representatives and trade minister and other senior governments officials, intra regional groups which will be more than 100 and may be closer to 200 people,” he said.

Mr Nervig said currently, the AGOA was set to expire in 2015 and one of the things which would be discussed includes the future of AGOA.

“One of the things we will be discussing is the future of AGOA and what should happen in 2015, should it be extended, should it be changed, there are a lot of big issues to discuss.

“We are pleased that we have a high level delegation to attend from America,” Mr Nervig said.

He said AGOA was a ministerial event which accords the SSA countries an opportunity to engage in trade with America.

” This is our signature policy in which we engage sub-Saharan African in trade with America and it gives us an opportunity to discuss with our colleagues and friends from the sub-Saharan countries how we can better take advantage of the AGOA and how exporters in countries such as Zambia can take advantage of the AGOA programme.

” How we can make the business environment in eligible countries conducive for them to export to competitive industries and to meet the standards not just in America but in the region as well,” Mr Nervig said.

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