June 14, 2019
News Release 19-052
Inv. No(s). 332-571
Contact: Peg O'Laughlin, 202-205-1819
USITC to Study U.S. Trade and Investment in Sub-Saharan Africa

The U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) has launched an investigation to examine U.S. trade in goods and services and investment in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

The investigation, U.S. Trade and Investment with Sub-Saharan Africa: Recent Trends and New Developments, was requested by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) in a letter received on Monday, May 6, 2019.

As requested, the USITC, an independent, nonpartisan, factfinding federal agency, will:

  • provide an overview of U.S. exports of goods and services and foreign direct investment to SSA, identifying the sectors and countries in which U.S. exports have increased the most from 2016-2018, the major factors behind this growth, and how U.S. products and services integrate into SSA value chains;

  • provide an overview of U.S. imports of goods and services, identifying the sectors and countries in which U.S. imports have increased the most from 2016-2018, and the major factors behind this growth;

  • describe the intellectual property environment in key SSA markets including national and regional laws, enforcement measures, and infringement issues as well as the effects of this environment on trade and investment in these markets;

  • provide an overview of technological innovation in food and agricultural production in key SSA markets, regulatory policies and market conditions that affect the adoption of these innovations, and how the adoption of such innovations has affected overall production and export performance;

  • provide an overview of recent developments in the digital economy for key SSA markets including the role of U.S. products and services in those markets, regulatory policies and market conditions that affect the adoption of digital technologies, and how the adoption of these technologies affects other industry sectors such as manufacturing and other services;

  • provide a summary of recent developments of regional integration efforts in SSA including progress on the negotiation and implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area;

  • summarize the AGOA utilization strategies that have been developed by SSA countries; and

  • provide a summary of the most recent 2019 data on U.S. trade flows of goods with SSA.

The USITC expects to deliver the report to USTR by March 31, 2020.

The USITC will hold a public hearing in connection with the investigation on July 24, 2019. Requests to appear at the hearing should be filed no later than 5:15 p.m. on July 12, 2019, with the Secretary, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20436. For further information, call 202-205-2000.

The USITC also welcomes written submissions for the record. Written submissions should be addressed to the Secretary of the Commission at the above address and should be submitted at the earliest practical date, but no later than 5:15 p.m. on August 16, 2019. All written submissions, except for confidential business information, will be available for public inspection.

Further information on the scope of this investigation and appropriate submissions is available in the USITC’s notice of investigation, dated June 14, 2019, which can be obtained from the USITC internet site (www.usitc.gov) or by contacting the Office of the Secretary at the above address or at 202-205-2000.

USITC general factfinding investigations, such as this one, cover matters related to tariffs or trade and are generally conducted at the request of USTR, the House Committee on Ways and Means, or the Senate Committee on Finance. The resulting reports convey the Commission’s objective findings and independent analyses on the subjects investigated. The Commission makes no recommendations on policy or other matters in its general factfinding reports. Upon completion of each investigation, the USITC submits its findings and analyses to the requestor. General factfinding investigation reports are subsequently released to the public unless they are classified by the requester for national security reasons.

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