Africa and The Middle East

The United States and the European Union are planning to use their Trade and Technology Council to counter Chinese technological influence in third countries and are hoping at the TTC’s December meeting to identify African and Central American countries they can work with, officials said Tuesday. The two sides are set to hold the third TTC ministerial in early December in the U.S.; a date and location have not been announced. While the council is a bilateral effort, U.S. and...

The future of the African Growth and Opportunity Act and the possibility of a bilateral free trade agreement with Kenya were key topics in discussions last week between U.S. lawmakers and Kenyan leaders, Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) said following a visit to Nairobi. Coons, who chairs the Senate State and Foreign Operations appropriations subcommittee and serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, met with Kenyan officials during a congressional delegation trip with stops in five countries, including Cabo Verde, Mozambique,...

Trade finance programs targeting Africans living and working in the U.S. could provide a needed boost to U.S. efforts to expand trade with countries on the continent, an industry advisory panel told Commerce earlier this month. “U.S. influence in Africa has been dwindling rapidly, especially, when it comes to trade,” the Trade Finance Advisory Council’s inclusive growth subcommittee warns in a recommendation to Commerce adopted on Aug 4. TFAC advises Commerce on identifying ways to expand access to trade finance...

As 2022 moves into its final third, a flurry of upcoming trade-related meetings is likely to further outline, and cement, the Biden administration’s still-evolving trade policy and priorities – from G7, G20 and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation gatherings to meetings of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity countries, the yet-to-be announced Americas Partnership for Prosperity members and a slew of bilateral initiatives. Since taking office, the Biden administration has looked to deepen relationships with allies, including on trade, and to...

U.S. and Kenyan objectives for a developing trade and investment partnership remain unchanged from those set out by the two countries during talks on a free trade agreement launched under the Trump administration, according to Kenya’s trade minister, who says the country remains keen on expanding its access to U.S. markets. The two countries on July 14 announced a “ Strategic Trade and Investment Partnership ,” to negotiate commitments in areas like digital trade, agriculture, small and medium-sized businesses, standards,...

The U.S. should remove Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum from South Africa to ensure the two countries can “significantly” expand bilateral trade and investment, South Africa’s minister of international relations and cooperation, Naledi Pandor, told Secretary of State Antony Blinken this week. Blinken was in Pretoria to open the U.S.-South African Strategic Dialogue. He and Pandor held what both described as frank and sometimes fraught talks on a range of issues including U.S. actions to ensure other countries...