Press Releases: African Growth and Opportunity Act Forum 2018
Notice to the Press
The United States will host the seventeenth annual U.S.-sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum, commonly known as the AGOA Forum, on July 11-12, 2018, at the U.S. Department of State.
The annual AGOA Forum is the premier platform that brings together African Trade Ministers with U.S. counterparts to discuss how we can work together to enhance our trade and investment relationship, including through AGOA Implementation. The 2018 AGOA Forum theme is “Forging New Strategies for U.S.-Africa Trade and Investment.” The AGOA Forum Ministerial will foster discussion of best practices for increasing AGOA utilization, addressing supply-side constraints on trade and investment, and preparing for a more reciprocal trade and investment relationship.
As in previous years, the AGOA Forum will include a number of events on the margins of the ministerial. This year’s side events, incorporating private sector, civil society, and African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP) stakeholders, will take place on July 9-10, 2018.
Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan and U.S. Trade Representative Robert E. Lighthizer will deliver opening remarks at the 2018 AGOA Forum at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 11. These remarks and the entire opening session are open to the press and will be livestreamed at www.state.gov.
Plenary remarks by AGOA Forum Co-Chairs, U.S. Trade Representative Lighthizer and Kenyan Secretary for Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Cooperatives Adan Mohamed, will begin at 10:00 a.m. and are open to the press. Press coverage will close following remarks of the Co-Chairs.
Pre-set time for video cameras: 8:00 a.m. from the 23rd Street entrance.
Final access time for journalists and still photographers: 8:30 a.m. from the 23rd Street entrance.
Media representatives may attend this event upon presentation of one of the following: (1) A U.S. government-issued identification card (Department of State, White House, Congress, Department of Defense or Foreign Press Center), (2) a media-issued photo identification card, or (3) a letter from their employer on letterhead verifying their employment as a journalist, accompanied by an official photo identification card (driver’s license, passport).
For a detailed schedule of events open to the press or inquiries, or to register for the event, please contact AF Press at AF-Press@state.gov.