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USAID TRADE Hubs

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Man with sacs of tea for tradeTrade for African Development and Enterprise (TRADE) Initiative

USAID's Trade for African Development and Enterprise (TRADE) Initiative was created to help African countries improve their competitiveness and gain greater access to global markets. TRADE helps African markets and businesses take advantage of increased trading opportunities provided through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The Initiative also promotes regional integration and cooperation by strengthening the ability of Africa countries and businesses to develop regional trade. TRADE also provides technical assistance in support of economic policy formation. USAID seeks to achieve these objectives by working in the following areas:

  • Promotion of U.S.- African business linkages;
  • Enhancement of the competitiveness of African products and services;
  • Expansion of the role that trade can play in African poverty reduction strategies;
  • Improvement of the delivery of public services supporting trade;
  • Building an African capacity for trade policy formulation and implementation; and
  • Strengthening the enabling environment for African businesses.

TRADE works primarily with host-country partners in the government and private sector through three Regional Hubs for Global Competitiveness in Gaborone, Botswana; Nairobi, Kenya; and the newest in Accra, Ghana. Each hub responds to region-specific needs and serves as a central point where African and U.S. government agencies, donor and civil society organizations, and the private sector can find information and technical assistance on trade, investment, and business activities in the region, including training opportunities. The hubs will also work with regional economic organizations—the Southern Africa Development Community, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, and the Economic Community of West African States, respectively—to increase regional economic integration and reduce barriers to regional trade.

All three hubs are staffed by a team of experts in various trade-related fields, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service plans to place a representative in each hub to assist with agricultural export standards.

The objectives and goals of each hub are related, but different.

East and Central Africa Trade Hub:

The East and Central Africa Trade Hub has three main areas of focus. First, it strengthens the capacity of African governments to formulate and implement trade policies that create a supportive business environment for African exports. Second, it develops strategies to support private sector businesses and thereby increase AGOA trade. Finally, the Hub works to improve the efficiency and reduce the cost of trade-related transportation in the region.

Southern Africa TRADE Hub:

The Southern Africa Trade Hub works to:

  • Enhance southern Africa’s competitiveness in global markets;
  • Build trade capacity;
  • Develop AGOA export business;
  • Facilitate customs and trade capabilities;
  • Enhance transport corridor efficiency;
  • Put in place sanitary and phytosanitary measures(SPS)-- to guarantee food safety standards for agricultural trade;
  • Improve governments' macroeconomic performance; and
  • Promote competition and private investment in infrastructure.

West Africa TRADE Hub:

The West Africa Trade Hub focuses on areas that will enhance the potential of West African producers to sell to the U.S. market, thereby permitting the region to take greater advantage of the increased trading opportunities provided through AGOA. The main component activities of the Hub are:

  • AGOA Business Development;
  • AGOA Support Services;
  • Trade Capacity Building; and
  • Information Dissemination, Monitoring and Evaluation.

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