By Jim Fisher-Thompson
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington -- One of the points that Secretary of State Powell made plain in his confirmation hearing in January with Senate lawmakers is his firm support of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

Powell said that passage of AGOA was "one of the most important actions" that Congress undertook last year. Signed into law by then president Clinton last May, the new law aims to strengthen U.S. relations with sub-Saharan Africa by emphasizing trade and internal development rather than aid. It also provides greater duty-free access to U.S. markets for African countries that adhere to open-market reforms. In October, 34 sub-Saharan African nations were named as eligible for benefits under the law.

Powell told senators on January 19 that "free trade is important the world over, but different regions require different formulas for fostering free trade. This act [AGOA] is the right way to begin bringing Africa into the more prosperous world of free-flowing capital and open markets."

Powell touched on "compassionate conservatism," a central theme of the Bush administration, when he said that "with powerful economies such as South Africa's, and eventually Nigeria's and other transforming African states, we begin to change the lives of Africa's poorest people, who are so desperately in need, and we need to help them. It is our obligation."

On the broader topic of sub-Saharan Africa and its place in the administration's foreign policy goals, Powell said: "I know that he [Bush] believes that there really is no region in the world that can be ignored. Priorities may come up and down, but I am quite confident that he will be interested in Africa."

A prime supporter of increased U.S.-African trade relations, House Africa Subcommittee Chairman Ed Royce (Republican from California), meanwhile has told the Washington File that "increasing sub-Saharan Africa's share of world trade and investment is very important to its economic development."

Royce said that "the U.S. should help by continuing to provide technical aid to worthy African countries struggling with the rules of the trade and investment game."

The congressman added that "the U.S. trade representative's office [USTR] must have the requisite resources. The administration should ensure that the recently passed bipartisan African Growth and Opportunity Act [AGOA] is implemented in a way that maximizes U.S. market access for eligible countries, those it determines to be true economic reformers."

In his opinion, Royce said, "the administration should also explore with Congress the possibility of expanding this market access by expanding AGOA. As much of the U.S. agenda toward Africa involves responding to problems and crises, he said, it is important to have a unified, "positive" focus -- and one that plays to Africa's potential and promises immediate results.

Royce said that "a continued focus on AGOA would allow this important trade framework to play that role. The AGOA-mandated U.S.-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum, he said, should be embraced as an important opportunity to foster closer economic ties.

(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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