U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION PRESIDENT’S ADVISORY COUNCIL ON DOING BUSINESS IN AFRICA CHARTER
PAC-DBIA 4.0: 2022 - 2024 Term Friday, December 13, 2024 On Friday, December 13, 2024, the fourth term of the PAC-DBIA held its final meeting at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, with participation from Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves and other senior Biden-Harris administration officials, commemorating the 10-Year anniversary of the establishment of the PAC-DBIA. The PAC-DBIA presented and adopted a new report that comprehensively reviews all recommendations and analysis produced and the activities conducted by the PAC-DBIA since the Council was established in 2014. The report summarizes the PAC-DBIA’s recommendations across 12 key topics: Financing; Infrastructure; Technology & the Digital Economy; Agribusiness & Food-Water Security; Energy & Environment; Health; Engagement Mechanisms; Public Procurement; SMEs & Women Entrepreneurs; Trade Facilitation & Supply-Value Chains; Workforce & Skills Development; and the African Growth and Opportunity Act. Additionally, the report includes information about what actions U.S. Government agencies and initiatives have taken in response to PAC-DBIA recommendations and analysis over the years, as well as new recommendations from the PAC-DBIA on how the U.S. Government may best continue utilizing the PAC-DBIA and advancing U.S.-Africa commercial engagement in the future. All of this information was presented in the meeting.
To complement the PAC-DBIA’s 10-Year Review Report summarizing its recommendations and U.S. Government actions in response, an appendix will be posted here by February 13, 2025 that will elaborate this information in detail, providing a compendium of all individual PAC-DBIA recommendations from 2014 - 2024.
This meeting was live-streamed and recorded for public viewing: Click here to watch.
A transcript of the meeting will be posted here within 90 days of the meeting.
August 8, 2024 The second meeting of the fourth term of the PAC-DBIA was held virtually. The PAC-DBIA met with Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves and a group of other senior Biden-Harris administration officials to present, deliberate, and adopt a new set of recommendations to the President focused on the reauthorization and modernization of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). These recommendations are intended to inform U.S. government policies and programs to that sustain and deepen trade and investment engagement across Africa following the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit and Business Forum hosted by the Biden Administration in December 2022.
This meeting was open to public observation and recorded. Watch the PAC-DBIA meeting video from August 8, 2024 below..
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April 13, 2023 The first meeting of the fourth term of the PAC-DBIA took place in Washington, DC. The PAC-DBIA met with Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves and a large group of other senior Biden-Harris administration officials to present, deliberate, and adopt a new set of recommendations to the President on strengthening U.S. commercial relations in Africa. These recommendations are intended to inform U.S. government policies and programs to that sustain and deepen trade and investment engagement across Africa following the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit and Business Forum hosted by the Biden Administration in December 2022.
This meeting was live-streamed and recorded for public viewing: Click here to watch.
May 19, 2021 - Intro Letter to Pres Biden July 28, 2020 Meeting of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa - Prosper Africa Implementation On Tuesday, July 28, 2020, the PAC-DBIA held a meeting, via teleconference, with Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and senior officials from the U.S. Government to deliberate and adopt recommendations on the implementation of the President’s Prosper Africa initiative, as well as a letter of support to the President for the recently launched negotiations of a Free Trade Agreement between the United States and Kenya.
The PAC-DBIA’s recommendations for Prosper Africa are divided into two sets. The first set is directed at the Prosper Africa Roadmap, a foundational document being developed to outline viable means of achieving the goals of Prosper Africa. The second set consists of recommendations applied to Prosper Africa’s three Lines of Effort: 1. Modernize U.S. capabilities and efforts; 2. Facilitate transactions; and 3. Foster fair and accessible business climates and robust financial sectors. These recommendations are organized according to the PAC-DBIA’s six Issue Working Groups that the Council established internally to focus member expertise on technical matters relating to: Finance, Technology and Digital Economy, Public Procurement, Workforce Development, Trade Facilitation and Physical Connectivity, and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Women Entrepreneurs.
The PAC-DBIA’s letter regarding negotiations of a Free Trade Agreement between the United States and Kenya states the Council’s support for the negotiations, suggests priorities and goals for the negotiations, and offers the active support of the Council for the efforts.
February 26, 2020 The President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA) held its second meeting of the current Council term on Wednesday, February 26, 2020. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Karen Dunn Kelley, on behalf of Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, chaired the meeting for the U.S. Government, which included representatives from 10 different agencies, plus the newly established Prosper Africa Secretariat. PAC-DBIA Members deliberated and adopted a report called, “Keys to Success,” a compilation of the collective insights from the Council on best practices U.S. companies should consider in order to approach, compete, succeed, and invest in African markets. The Council also adopted a letter to the President that outlines new initiative areas that Members would like to prioritize in their work over the course of the current term. The letter also sets forth two recommendations for action by the U.S. Government to optimize the impact of Prosper Africa initiative, including the organization of high-level U.S. Government engagements with African Heads of State and conducting a PAC-DBIA fact-finding trip to two African countries in 2020.
August 20, 2019 On Tuesday, August 20, 2019, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, having appointed 26 members to a new term of the PAC-DBIA in June 2019, convened the Council via teleconference to welcome the new term and provide direction for the Council’s work, on behalf of the President. Secretary Ross asked the Council to direct its efforts on providing analysis and recommendations that would inform the U.S. Government’s implementation of Prosper Africa, the Administration’s initiative to increase two-way trade and investment between the United States and Africa. The PAC-DBIA was also tasked with producing a report on “keys to success” for doing business in Africa as a resource for U.S. companies considering expanding their business into African markets for the first time.
PAC-DBIA 2.0: 2016 - 2018 Term September 26, 2018 The President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA) held a meeting on Wednesday, September 26, 2018 with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and 13 other U.S. Government officials to deliberate and adopt the final report of the 2016-2018 term of the PAC-DBIA. The report consists of:
A summary of the 2018 fact-finding trip undertaken by PAC-DBIA members and U.S. Government officials, including highlights and key takeaways from visits Ethiopia, Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana. 22 new recommendations to the President on measures the U.S. Government might take to strengthen commercial ties with Africa. The PAC-DBIA’s recommendations span the following key areas: (1) Financing, (2) Public Procurement, (3) Trade Facilitation, (4) Global Value Chains, (5) Technology and Digital Economy, (6) Workforce Development, (7) MOU Implementation.
April 18, 2018 The President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa held a meeting on Wednesday, April 18, 2018 to deliberate and adopt a set of recommendations to the President on measures the U.S. Government might take to strengthen the U.S. commercial relationship with Ethiopia, Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana. These are four countries that the Council identified as holding significant opportunities for U.S. companies to do business. The Council’s recommendations identify targeted approaches to mitigate obstacles previously identified in the Council’s Issues Report from November 29, 2017. The recommendations include: In Ethiopia: (1) Government-to-Government MOU to increase U.S. private investment and commercial participation in key sectors. (2) USTDA Global Procurement Initiative (GPI) program follow-through. In Kenya: (1) Enhanced bilateral trade engagement. (2) USTDA Global Procurement Initiative (GPI) program. (3) Regional U.S.-Africa skills development pilot program. In Côte d’Ivoire: (1) Improved identification and publication of AfDB market intelligence. (2) USTDA partnership with AfDB to strengthen regional procurements through GPI. In Ghana: (1) SEC-led technical assistance for Ghana’s Securities and Exchange Commission. (2) Modernized customs facilities, systems, and processes. (3) Government-to-Government MOU to increase U.S. private investment and commercial participation in key sectors.
November 29, 2017 The President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa held a meeting on Wednesday, November 29, 2017. The Council deliberated and adopted a report outlining the top issues that keep American companies from approaching African markets, competing successfully in African markets, and operating effectively and efficiently in African markets. Three Council identified three issues in each category. In the Approaching category, the issues are: Risk (Perceived vs. Actual), Underdeveloped Capital Markets, and Market Size & Demand for U.S. Business. The issues in the Competing category are: Whole-of-Government Approaches That Enable Foreign Competitors, Local Content Requirements, and Public Procurement Process & Specifications. And in the Operating category, the issues are a Lack of a Skilled Local Workforce, Currency Volatility & Lack of Access to U.S. Dollars, and Trade Facilitation and Transportation Infrastructure. For the Council’s next phase of work, the Secretary of Commerce tasked them with developing a report of recommendations, a compilation of best practices among Council members, and a proposed itinerary for a fact-finding trip to Africa in 2018.
August 22, 2017 The Secretary of Commerce convened the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa on Tuesday, August 22, via teleconference. During the call, the Secretary provided feedback on the Council’s introductory letter to the President that was submitted February 28, 2017, and he provided formal tasking to the Council for its next phase of analysis and recommendations requested by the Administration.
February 28, 2017 The President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa held the first meeting of its 2016-2018 term on February 28, 2017. The Council deliberated and adopted a letter to the President on the importance of Africa in achieving the President’s goal of expanding U.S. exports and priorities on which the Council would like to provide recommendations.
PAC-DBIA 1.0: 2014 - 2016 Term
PAST ~ Leveraging Private Sector Leadership in a New Era of U.S.-Africa Commercial Partnership: Views from Members of the PAC-DBIA ~ Friday, December 9, 2022 / 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM EDT
In advance of the Biden Administration’s U.S.-Africa Business Forum on December 14, 2022, members of the fourth term of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA) previewed private sector priorities that will drive PAC-DBIA recommendations to President Biden in 2023. Sectors addressed included financing, infrastructure, energy/climate technology, digital economy, healthcare, agribusiness, and food/water security.
~ Keys to Success for Doing Business in Africa Webinar: Technology and the Digital Economy: Lessons Learned from Members of the PAC-DBIA ~ Wednesday, March 24, 2021 / 11:00 AM - 12:30 AM EDT
This webinar was part of a series focusing on key industries and featuring members of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA), who presented practical lessons learned entering and expanding their business in African markets, illustrating insights featured in the PAC-DBIA’s 2020 “Keys to Success” report.
Click here to download the PAC-DBIA’s Keys to Success Report
~ Women’s History Month Webinar: Enabling Women Entrepreneurs in U.S.-African Trade and Investment ~ Wednesday, March 31, 2021 / 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM EDT
This event brought together female entrepreneurs, including members of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA), and senior officials from the United States and Africa to discuss policies and programs that should be developed or strengthened to address the constraints women-owned businesses face in international trade. The conversation included practical insights from successful U.S. and African women entrepreneurs who will share their “keys to success” for doing business.
Click here to download the PAC-DBIA’s Keys to Success Report
~ Keys to Success for Doing Business in Africa Webinar: Agricultural and Industrial Machinery: Lessons Learned from Members of the PAC-DBIA ~ Wednesday, April 7, 2021 / 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM EDT
This webinar was part of a series focusing on key industries and featuring members of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA), who presented practical lessons learned entering and expanding their business in African markets, illustrating insights featured in the PAC-DBIA’s 2020 “Keys to Success” report.
Click here to download the PAC-DBIA’s Keys to Success Report
