Sec. 4. President’s strategy to promote the African Continental Free Trade Area
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The President shall, using existing interagency trade policy development and coordination authority and mechanisms, direct the United States Trade Representative to develop a 10-year Federal strategy to promote the AfCFTA to achieve the following goals: Improving the efficacy, efficiency, and coordination of United States development aid and technical assistance focusing on trade capacity building that is provided to African countries, regional communities, and intergovernmental or multinational entities, including to the AfCFTA Secretariat.
Implementing trade policy priorities of the AfCFTA developed in coordination with continental, regional, and country partners in Africa. The strategy developed pursuant to paragraph
(1)shall also include policy or program plans to accomplish the following: Increasing the volume and velocity of goods and services trade between African countries by improving customs operations, which may include— providing support for increased automation or online processing of customs and cross-border trade-related tasks; and supporting efforts— to ensure adequate access to reliable electrical power supplies and internet access to foster digitalization where necessary; and to provide paper-based or other applicable technical alternatives at border crossings where electricity or internet access is unreliable or unavailable, including in coordination with the United States Power Africa initiative where applicable. Expanding trade capacities and supporting trade-related infrastructure development, prioritizing major intra-African trade corridors. Supporting the implementation and success of the AfCFTA and its goals as identified in consultation with African counterparts at the continental, regional, and country level, including by— advancing African regional and intracontinental alignment of trade-related legal and administrative procedures; strengthening the technical capacity of the AfCFTA Secretariat; and promoting the development and expansion of African regional economic communities as they pertain to fostering trade, including through direct consultation and partnership with the AfCFTA Secretariat. Improving the efficacy of United States trade capacity building to support the AfCFTA’s implementation, as appropriate, by preventing duplication of or incompatibility between the assistance activities of other major donors (such as nongovernmental organizations, other countries, and intergovernmental organizations) and the policies and projects included in the strategy. Enabling more effective and inclusive participation of stakeholders, including those representing workers, environmental sustainability, women, youth, marginalized, or underrepresented groups, in the negotiation and implementation of the AfCFTA. Increasing United States trade and investment to expand African regional value chains, especially as it relates to increasing manufacturing and production on the continent in industries expected to grow with the implementation of the AfCFTA. Evaluating the industries in which the United States has a comparative advantage in Africa relative to other countries, and promote trade and investment within those industries, especially in industries expected to grow with the implementation of the AfCFTA. The strategy required by this subsection may only be developed through prior consultation with, and submitted with the approval of, the Trade Policy Staff Committee established pursuant to section 242(a) of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 ( 19 U.S.C. 1872(a) ). Such strategy shall also be updated biennially with such prior consultation and pursuant to such approval. In developing the strategy described in this subsection, the United States Trade Representative shall, as appropriate and practicable, consult with— stakeholders in the United States and in Africa from the private sector, civil society, and African diaspora; relevant African Union entities such as the AfCFTA Secretariat; State, local, and Tribal governments; and United States development agencies and entities not represented on the Trade Policy Staff Committee, such as the Prosper Africa Initiative, Millennium Challenge Corporation and Development Finance Corporation. Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall (subject to the prior approval required under subsection (a)(3)) submit to the relevant congressional committees an initial report that includes the strategy developed pursuant to subsection
(a)and an implementation plan for such strategy that includes each of the following: The rationale, objectives, and anticipated manner of implementation of the strategy. The anticipated role of each agency represented in the interagency in the implementation of such strategy. A summary of the current trade capacity-building programs, projects, and activities of the United States in support of the AfCFTA as of the date of the submission of the report, and the relationships between such programs, projects, and activities and the objectives of the strategy. Any gaps, inefficiencies, or unmet needs identified in the course of preparing the summary described in paragraph (3). Qualitative and quantitative goals and metrics for the implementation of the strategy, including the criteria to be used in monitoring and evaluating progress towards the objectives of the strategy. Recommendations, in consultation with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, relating to programmatic or appropriations measures that could potentially enhance the implementation of the strategy including legislative or executive policy changes for such enhanced implementation. Not later than 2 years after the submission of the initial report required by subsection (b), and every two years thereafter for 8 years, the President shall submit to the relevant congressional committees a report containing revisions and updates to the strategy required by subsection
(a)and an assessment of the progress made in implementing the strategy as described in such initial report. Such biennial progress reports shall also include each of the following: A description of the obligation and expenditure of all amounts made available to carry out the strategy during the preceding two fiscal years, disaggregated by fiscal year, account, and activity. Notable successes and challenges relating to the implementation of the strategy. An evaluation of the progress toward achieving the qualitative and quantitative goals and metrics included in the initial report pursuant to subsection (b)(5). Any updates and revisions made to the criteria described in subsection (b)(5) and included in the initial report. Updated recommendations as described in subsection (b)(7). Not later than 10 years after the date of the submission of the initial report required by subsection (b), the President shall submit to the relevant congressional committees a report that assesses progress over the preceding decade of the strategy. Such report shall also include each of the following: An assessment of the progress made in the implementation of the strategy over the preceding decade with respect to each of the goals described in subsection (a)(3), including with respect to the qualitative and quantitative goals and metrics included in the initial report pursuant to subsection (b)(5) and using the criteria described in such subsection (b)(5). An assessment of the successes, challenges, and effectiveness of the strategy. Recommended legislative or executive policy changes relevant to addressing any gaps, policy or program shortcomings, or other outstanding challenges relating to the goals of the strategy, along with descriptions of prospective follow-up activities necessary to address such challenges. Recommendations relating to fostering further synergies between implementation of activities, as relevant and appropriate, relating to the African Growth and Opportunity Act ( 19 U.S.C. 3701 et seq. ), the AfCFTA, and any other United States trade policy initiatives towards Africa, including types of activities and expected outcomes based on the implementation of the strategy. A detailed description of the expenditure of all amounts authorized to implement the strategy throughout the 10-year period, including amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization under section 5(b), disaggregated by fiscal year, account, and activity. Each report required by this section shall be submitted in unclassified form and may include a classified annex. The unclassified portion of each such report shall be posted on publicly available websites of the Office of the United States Trade Representative.
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Sec. 4
President’s strategy to promote the African Continental Free Trade Area
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