Key Topics – Bureau of African Affairs

U.S.-Africa: Enduring Partnership

November 23, 2021

U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit

Africa will shape the future — not just the future of the African people, but of the world. Rooted in this recognition that Africa is a key geopolitical player, President Biden invited leaders from across the African continent to Washington, DC on December 13-15, 2022 for the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. President Biden believes U.S. collaboration with African leaders, as well as civil society, business, diaspora, women, and youth leaders, is essential to unlocking the potential of this decisive decade.

Learn more about the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit

Vital Partners, Shared Priorities

Our strategy is rooted in the recognition that sub-Saharan Africa is a major geopolitical force, one that shaped our past, is shaping our present, and will shape our future.

It’s a strategy that reflects the region’s complexity – its diversity, its power and influence – and one that focuses on what we will do with African nations and peoples, not for African nations and peoples.

Put simply, the United States and African nations can’t achieve any of our shared priorities, whether that’s recovering from the pandemic, creating broad-based economic opportunity, addressing the climate crisis, expanding energy access, revitalizing democracies, strengthening the free and open international order – we can’t do any of that if we don’t work together as equal partners.

Learn more about the Biden Administration’s Sub-Saharan Africa Strategy

African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)

The United States and Togo co-hosted the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum in Lomé, Togo August 8-10. The Forum brought together senior government officials from the United States and 38 Sub-Saharan African AGOA-eligible countries to discuss ways to boost economic cooperation and trade between the United States and Africa. The African Union and regional economic communities will also participate.

Enacted in May 2000, the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)  is the cornerstone of U.S. economic engagement with the countries of sub-Saharan Africa. AGOA is a long-term commitment with broad bipartisan support in the United States.

Learn more about AGOA

African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program

African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP) is an outreach, education, and engagement initiative that targets African women entrepreneurs to promote business growth, increase trade both regionally and to U.S. markets through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), create better business environments, and empower African women entrepreneurs to become voices of change in their communities.

For more information, including information for investors interested in the AWEP program, please contact: AWEP@state.gov.

AWEP alumnae can build on professional exchange experiences, expand their networks, and access additional resources through the International Exchange Alumni website.

Learn more about AWEP

Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI)

The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) is the United States’ signature effort to invest in the next generation of African leaders.

Learn more about YALI

Africa Gold Advisory

The U.S. Departments of State, the Treasury, Commerce, Homeland Security, Labor, and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) are issuing this Advisory in light of increasingly concerning reporting related to the role of illicit actors in the gold trade, including the Wagner Group, to (i) highlight the opportunities and specific risks raised by the gold trade across sub-Saharan Africa and (ii) encourage industry participants to adopt and apply strengthened due diligence practices to ensure that such malign actors are unable to exploit and benefit from the sector, which remains essential to the livelihoods of millions of people across sub-Saharan Africa.

View the Africa Gold Advisory

South Sudan Business Advisory

The Department of State, the Department of Labor, and the Department of Commerce are issuing this advisory to highlight risks for U.S. businesses, individuals, and other persons, including academic institutions, research service providers, and investors (hereafter “businesses and individuals”) conducting or contemplating business in South Sudan.  These risks continue to grow as a result of South Sudan’s transitional government’s failure to implement political and economic reforms, improve transparency and public financial management, and address pervasive, endemic corruption and human rights violations.

View the South Sudan Business Advisory

Uganda Business Advisory

The U.S. Departments of State, Labor, Health and Human Services,  Commerce, and the U.S. Agency for International Development, are issuing this advisory to inform U.S. businesses, individuals, and other U.S. persons, including health services providers, members of academic institutions, and investors (collectively hereafter “businesses, organizations, and individuals”) of potential risks if conducting or contemplating conducting business in Uganda.  Businesses, organizations, and individuals should be aware of potential financial and reputational risks resulting from endemic corruption, described in more detail in the 2023 Investment Climate Statement, as well as violence against human rights activists, media members, health workers, members of minority groups, LGBTQI+ persons, and political opponents.  Uganda’s enactment of the Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA) on May 29, 2023, increases restrictions on human rights, to include restrictions on freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and exacerbates issues regarding the respect for leases and employment contracts.

View the Uganda Business Advisory