Sec. 107. BIENNIAL AGOA UTILIZATION STRATEGIES

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## SEC. 107 BIENNIAL AGOA UTILIZATION STRATEGIES ###

(a)In general It is the sense of Congress that— ####

(1)beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries should develop utilization strategies on a biennial basis in order to more effectively and strategically utilize benefits available under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (in this section referred to as “AGOA utilization strategies”); ####

(2)United States trade capacity building agencies should work with, and provide appropriate resources to, such sub-Saharan African countries to assist in developing and implementing biennial AGOA utilization strategies; and ####

(3)as appropriate, and to encourage greater regional integration, the United States Trade Representative should consider requesting the Regional Economic Communities to prepare biennial AGOA utilization strategies. ###

(b)Contents It is further the sense of Congress that biennial AGOA utilization strategies should identify strategic needs and priorities to bolster utilization of benefits available under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. To that end, biennial AGOA utilization strategies should— ####

(1)review potential exports under the African Growth and Opportunity Act and identify opportunities and obstacles to increased trade and investment and enhanced poverty reduction efforts; ####

(2)identify obstacles to regional integration that inhibit utilization of benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act; ####

(3)set out a plan to take advantage of opportunities and address obstacles identified in paragraphs

(1)and (2), improve awareness of the African Growth and Opportunity Act as a program that enhances exports to the United States, and utilize United States Agency for International Development regional trade hubs; ####

(4)set out a strategy to promote small business and entrepreneurship; and ####

(5)eliminate obstacles to regional trade and promote greater utilization of benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act and establish a plan to promote full regional implementation of the Agreement on Trade Facilitation of the World Trade Organization. ###

(c)Publication It is further the sense of Congress that— ####

(1)each beneficiary sub-Saharan African country should publish on an appropriate Internet website of such country public versions of its AGOA utilization strategy; and ####

(2)the United States Trade Representative should publish on the Internet website of the Office of the United States Trade Representative public versions of all AGOA utilization strategies described in paragraph (1).