Photo credit: AP Images
The heads of 50 African nations will gather in Washington August 4-6 at the invitation of President Obama for an unprecedented three-day summit.
With the theme “Investing in the Next Generation,” the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit will build on Obama’s 2013 trip to Africa and highlight the U.S. commitment to Africa’s people, security and democratic development. With a focus on deepening the U.S.-Africa partnership, the discussions will look for ways the United States and Africa can:
• Expand cooperation on peace and regional security.
• Promote inclusive and sustainable development.
• Bolster trade and investment.
• Create an enabling environment for the next generation of Africans.
The theme reflects the ambition the United States shares with African people and governments to prepare their nations for future generations by making concrete gains in good governance, peace and security, and economic growth.
A new center of global growth, Africa is creating more opportunities than before for its people. Today’s challenge is to ensure these gains expand and benefit all Africans, which will create new markets and more stable democratic governments.
Throughout the summit, African leaders will have opportunities to interact with President Obama, Cabinet heads, members of the U.S. Congress, U.S. and African business executives and a few Washington Fellows.
The first summit session on investing in Africa’s future will center on inclusive and sustainable development, economic growth and trade and investment. That will be followed by a summit session on long-term solutions to regional conflicts, peacekeeping strategies and combatting transnational threats. The third summit session will focus on enhancing governance to deliver public services; attracting increased domestic and foreign investment; managing transnational threats; and stemming the flow of illicit finance.
The summit will feature six signature events focused on issues such as civil society, women’s empowerment, food security, global health, wildlife trafficking, and the contributions of faith communities. Each signature event will convene U.S. and African leaders from government, civil society and the private sector.
U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman will host the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) ministerial at the World Bank. In this session, African and U.S. trade officials will discuss the future of AGOA and U.S. plans to pursue renewal of AGOA legislation.
The U.S. Department of Commerce and Bloomberg Philanthropies will co-host the first U.S.-Africa Business Forum to focus on strengthening trade and financial ties between the United States and Africa. The forum will highlight U.S. private sector engagement in Africa in the areas of finance and capital investment; infrastructure; power and energy; agriculture; consumer goods; and information and communication technology. President Obama, Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will participate.
African leaders will also be welcomed at a reception hosted by the Senate Foreign Relations and House Foreign Affairs committees. President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama also will welcome the leaders for a dinner at the White House.
The summit reflects a shared commitment to the dignity, well-being and freedom of all people. Africa’s success is good for Africa and good for the United States.
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