0900–0945 hrs

Opening Speeches:

• Dr Satish Boolell, President, MACOSS
• Mr Fred Oladeinde, President, Foundation for Democracy in Africa

• Ambassador Robert Perry, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Africa
• Ambassador Vijay S. Makhan, Interim Commissioner for Trade, Industry and Economic Affairs, African Union
• Hon. Mrs Arianne. Navarre-Marie, Mauritius Minister for Women’s Rights, Child Development and Family Welfare

0945-1000 hrs

Tea Break

1000-1030 hrs

Briefing on AGOA

This presentation will outline the elements of the African Growth and Opportunity Act and examine elements that could be enhanced.

• Mr Gregory Simpkins, Foundation for Democracy in Africa

1030–1100 hrs

Briefing on AGOA-Related AU Policy and CSSDCA Programmatic Commitments

The African Union, which is engaged in programs such as the Conference on Security, Stability, Development and Cooperation in Africa, will discuss efforts to promote the role of African civil society in trade.

• Dr. Jinmi Adisa, African Union

1100–1230 hrs

Workshop on Civil Society and Challenges to African Societies

African nations face many challenges to progress in health, education, governance, conflict, debt and other areas in which society has a prime role in monitoring conditions and providing effective recommendations for corrective action.

·         Chair: Mr Anthony Okonmah, Foundation for Democracy in Africa

• Dr Prega Ramsamy, Southern African Development Community
• Mr Richard Tren, Africa Fighting Malaria (South Africa)
• Mr Charles Mutasa, AFRODAD (Zimbabwe)

1230-1330 hrs

Lunch

1330-1500 hrs

Workshop on African Trade Traditions and the Role of Civil Society

Africans have been involved in international trade for more than a millennium and this panel will examine how civil society can help Africa enhance its ability to compete in the 21st century, especially in the field of labour rights and training of workers.

·         Chair: Mr Leon Louw, South Africa

• Mr Thompson Ayodele, Institute for Public Policy Analysis (Nigeria)
• Mr James Shikwati, Inter Regional Economic Network, (Kenya)
• Mr Steve Horton, First Gaborone Investment and Equity Fund (Botswana)

1500-1515 hrs

Tea Break

1515–1645 hrs

Workshop on the Role of Women in Benefiting African Society

Women often play a major role in African societies, and this panel will examine how the status of women can be enhanced for the benefit of African Societies.

• Chair: Dr Sarah Moten, USAID
• Ms Vidula Nababsing, (Mauritius)
• Ms Alice Mungwa, African Union
• Ms Colleen Dyble, Atlas Foundation for Economic Research(US)

1900 hrs

Direct Video Connection Broadcast to Gaborone, Botswana, Cape Town, South Africa, Miami, Florida, USA

0900-0930 hrs

Opening presentation:

·         Hon. Rep. Jim McDermott, US House of Representatives

0930-1100 hrs

Roundtable on AGOA

Civil society and government will discuss what AGOA is today and what it could become.

• Moderator: Mr Fred Oladeinde, Foundation for Democracy in Africa (US)
• Mr Amedee Darga, Straconsult (Mauritius)
• Mr Charles Mutasa, AFRODAD (Zimbabwe)
• Mr Gregory Simpkins, Foundation for Democracy in Africa

1100-1115 hrs

Tea Break

1115-1245 hrs

Workshop on Civil Society, Democracy and Governance

The participation requirements of the AGOA process call for nations to observe democratic values and good governance.  Moreover, corporate governance is an unstated expectation as well.  This panel will examine civil society’s watchdog role on the operations of government and business.

• Chair: Mr Gregory Simpkins, Foundation for Democracy in Africa
• Hon. Rep. Ed Royce, US House of Representatives
• Mr Navin Beekharry, Commissioner, Independent Commission Against Corruption, (Mauritius)
• Ms Vernice Guthrie, ABA Africa (US)

1245-1345 hrs

Lunch

1345-1515 hrs

U.S. Congressional Briefing on AGOA

This panel would outline what AGOA is supposed to achieve and what enhancements are being discussed in the U.S. Congress for next year.

• Chair: Honourable Rep. Bill Thomas, U.S. Congress
• Members of Congressional Delegation

1515-1530 hrs

Tea Break

1530–1700 hrs

Workshop on Creating Linkages between AGOA and Efforts to Reduce Rural Hunger and Poverty in Africa

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have a long history of assisting African farmers to increase agricultural production.  They also lobby governments to remove trade barriers and make agricultural trade fair.  This panel will explore opportunities for linking AGOA with the NGO movement to cut hunger and poverty in Africa, as well as discussing opportunities for smallholder farming in African export agriculture.

• Chair: Mr Ray Almeida, Bread for the World (US)
• Mr David Beckmann, Bread for the World (US)
• Mr Josh Walton, ACDI-VOCA (US)

• Mr Erastus Mwencha, Common Market of Eastern and Southern Africa

1900 hrs

Direct Video Connection Broadcast to Windhoek, Namibia; Durban, South Africa and Houston, Texas, USA

0945–1030 hrs

Opening of US – Sub Saharan African Economic Forum

Live transmission of Opening Ceremony of Government Forum.

1030-1045 hrs

Tea Break

1045-1115 hrs

Opening Statement

·         Ambassador Vijay S. Makhan, Interim Commissioner for Trade, Industry and Economic Affairs, African Union

1115-1245 hrs

Workshop on Assessing the Impact of Trade on Human Development in Africa

The success of AGOA or other trade initiatives is currently judged solely on their economic impact but this panel will begin the process of devising a measurement tool that will look at how trade impacts a society’s development in a broader sense.

• Chair: Ms Colleen Dyble, Atlas Foundation for Economic Research (US)
• Mr Raj Makoond, Director, Joint Economic Council (Mauritius)
• Mr Brett Schaeffer, Heritage Foundation (US)
• Mr Fred Alipui, African Union
• Dr. Julie Howard, Partnership to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa (US)

1245–1345 hrs

Lunch

1345–1515 hrs

Address on the Crucial Role of Youth in Benefiting African

Society

• Presenter: Mr Fred Oladeinde, Foundation for Democracy in Africa (US)
• Hon. Rep. Ed Royce, US House of Representatives
• Ms Laurette Koellner, Vice-President Boeing Inc. (USA)
• Honourable Ravi Raj Yerrigadoo, Minister of Youth and Sports (Mauritius)

1515–1530 hrs

Tea Break

15 30-1600 hrs

Plenary Presentation: Ambassador Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. Deputy US Trade Representative “The Impact of AGOA on US – Africa Trade”

1600–1700 hrs

Closing Session: Forum Report

1900 hrs

Direct Video Connection Broadcast to Dakar, Senegal; Lomé, Togo and Washington, DC, USA