On Wednesday morning at the 8th Annual African Growth and Opportunity Act Forum in Nairobi, Kenya, United States Trade Representative Ron Kirk led a plenary session on the effects of the global economic crisis on AGOA.
Joined onstage by United States Representative Jim McDermott (D-WA) and Donald Payne (D-NJ), as well as African Development Bank President Donald Kaberuka, Ambassador Kirk discussed current slowdowns in US-sub-Saharan trade and investment, and the need to restore global trade for the sake of worldwide economic recovery - as well as to increase regional trade within Africa to boost economies there.
Participants from numerous AGOA-eligible African nations, civil society, and the private sector took part in the plenary session, raising issues related to the future of AGOA and its implementation to the greater benefit of participating African countries and their citizens.
