Home • FACT SHEET: U.S.-African Cooperation on Food Security

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

August 04, 2014

Statement by Press Secretary Josh Earnest and Former Press Secretaries on the Passing of James Brady

Statement by Press Secretary Josh Earnest and Former Press Secretaries Jay Carney, Robert Gibbs, Dana Perino, Scott McClellan, Ari Fleischer, Jake Siewert, Joe Lockhart, Mike McCurry, Dee Dee Myers, Marlin Fitzwater, and Ron Nessen

Jim Brady defined the role of the modern White House Press Secretary. With his passing we lost a friend and mentor, and the country lost a selfless public servant who dedicated his life to service, even in the face of tragedy. Jim always did his job with the highest integrity. He had a true affection and respect for the press, relished a good sparring with the front row, and was an unfailing defender of the President and the value of a free press. Jim set the model and standard for the rest of us to follow. It's been a genuine honor for each of us to stand at the podium in the briefing room that will always bear his name. Our thoughts and prayers are with Jim’s wife Sarah and his children Scott and Melissa.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

August 04, 2014

Statement by the Press Secretary on H.J. Res. 76

On Monday, August 4, 2014, the President signed into law H.J. Res. 76, which provides $225 million in emergency supplemental funding for the Secretary of Defense to provide to the Government of Israel for the procurement of the Iron Dome defense system to counter short-range rocket threats in Fiscal Year (FY) 2014. This funding will ensure that Israel will be able to sustain production of Iron Dome components in order to maintain adequate stockpiles of Iron Dome interceptors and equipment, consistent with the July 22, 2014, letter from the Secretary of Defense supporting Israel’s recent request for $225 million in additional funding for Iron Dome. These funds are in addition to the $176 million requested in the President's FY 2015 budget for Iron Dome and the FY 2015 Congressional increase of $175 million proposed in Congress to offset the costs of initiating Iron Dome production in the United States.

The United States is proud that the Iron Dome system developed in coordination with Israel and funded by the United States has saved countless Israeli lives. Continued bipartisan support for Iron Dome funding ensures Israel will retain vital defense against rockets and artillery in light of the enduring threats.

The United States has been clear since the start of this conflict that no country can abide rocket attacks against its civilians. The United States supports Israel’s right to defend itself against such attacks. We also continue to call on Israeli authorities to take all feasible precautions to prevent civilian casualties in Gaza and protect the civilian Palestinian population from the effects of attacks, and we continue to stress that all parties to the conflict must comply with international humanitarian law.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

August 04, 2014

Letter from the President -- Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as Amended

TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE

August 4, 2014

Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)

I hereby designate as an emergency requirement all funding so designated by the Congress in the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Resolution, 2014, pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended, for the following account: "Department of Defense—Procurement—Procurement, Defense-Wide."

The details of this action are set forth in the enclosed memorandum from the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.

Sincerely,

BARACK OBAMA

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

August 04, 2014

Statement by the Press Secretary on H.J.Res. 76

On Monday, August 4, 2014, the President signed into law:

H.J.Res. 76, which provides fiscal year (FY) 2014 emergency supplemental appropriations for the Government of Israel's Iron Dome defense system to counter short-range rocket threats.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

August 04, 2014

Statement by the President on the Passing of James Brady

Michelle and I send our deepest condolences to the family of former White House Press Secretary James Brady on his passing. Jim is a legend at the White House for his warmth and professionalism as press secretary for President Reagan; for the strength he brought to bear in recovering from the shooting that nearly killed him 33 years ago; and for turning the events of that terrible afternoon into a remarkable legacy of service through the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Since 1993, the law that bears Jim’s name has kept guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals. An untold number of people are alive today who otherwise wouldn’t be, thanks to Jim.

Every day, reporters and White House staffers walk past a plaque marking the day in 2000 that the White House Briefing Room was renamed the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room. It reads, “May his courage and dedication continue to inspire all who work in this room and beyond.” Those words will endure, as will his legacy. Our thoughts and prayers are with Jim’s wife Sarah, who has been Jim’s steadfast partner in advocacy, and their children Scott and Melissa.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

August 04, 2014

FACT SHEET: U.S. Support for Combating Wildlife Trafficking

Like other forms of illicit trade, wildlife trafficking undermines security across nations. Well-armed, well-equipped, and well-organized networks of criminals, insurgent elements, and corrupt officials exploit porous borders and weak institutions to profit from trading in poached wildlife.

Record high demand for illegally traded wildlife products, coupled with inadequate preventative measures and weak institutions, has resulted in an explosion of illicit trade in wildlife in recent years. That trade is decimating iconic animal populations. Today, because of the actions of poachers, species such as elephants and rhinoceroses face the risk of significant decline or even extinction.

Over the past five years, tens of thousands of elephants have been slaughtered by poachers and criminal networks in Africa. In 2013, more than 1,000 rhinos were killed in South Africa alone, and the pace of killing is on track to surpass this record in 2014. Urgent action is needed now and the United States is providing leadership and commitment to protecting our world heritage and endangered wildlife.

In recognition of the importance of combating wildlife trafficking to the United States and our African partners, the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit included a Dialogue on Combating Wildlife Trafficking Signature Event that addressed best practices and next steps for addressing this international crisis, to include inspiring youth to confront the issue. President Gnassingbé of the Togolese Republic, President Pohamba of the Republic of Namibia, President Bongo Ondimba of the Gabonese Republic, and President Kikwete of the United Republic of Tanzania were featured in the event, due to their roles in combating the illegal trade on the continent.

A Coordinated Strategy

National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking. In February 2014, President Obama issued a National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking. The Strategy identifies three priorities for stemming illegal trade in wildlife: (1) strengthening domestic and global enforcement; (2) reducing global demand; and (3) building international cooperation and partnerships. In 2014, the United States will invest more than $60 million in support of these efforts.

A Presidential Task Force on Combating Wildlife Trafficking, chaired by senior officials at the Department of State, the Department of the Interior, and the Department of Justice, is charged with implementing the Strategy and includes broad interagency representation from other relevant departments and agencies.
The Task Force is supported by the Advisory Council on Wildlife Trafficking, an 8-member body that makes recommendations to the Task Force and provides it with ongoing advice and assistance. The Advisory Council is comprised of leaders from the private sector and nonprofit organizations, and former government officials. Along with the Task Force, it was formed pursuant to the President’s Executive Order of July 1, 2013 that charted a path forward to increase U.S. efforts to counter poaching and the illegal wildlife trade.

Strengthening Enforcement

The United States has worked with African governments for years to strengthen their capacity to fight wildlife trafficking. We also help protect Africa’s natural resources by prosecuting criminals who traffic in endangered and protected species in the United States, including those trafficking endangered rhinoceros horn and elephant ivory.

U.S. Efforts with Partners Overseas. Across Africa, the United States supports partner institutions in building their capacity to better protect natural resources and bring criminals to justice. Key capacity building efforts focus on: improving cross-border cooperation; strengthening wildlife trafficking laws; enhancing wildlife management both inside and outside protected areas with government and communities; and providing critical training to rangers, community scouts, police, customs officials, prosecutors, and judges. Through the International Law Enforcement Academy, the State Department, along with the Department of the Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Department of Justice, have trained more than 450 law enforcement officers in Africa and Asia.

Establishing Wildlife Enforcement Networks. For the last decade, the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) have worked with our partners to build active coordination and improve information sharing by establishing regional Wildlife Enforcement Networks (WENs) in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Central America, and the Horn of Africa. We are supporting efforts to establish WENs in Central and Southern Africa and stationing USFWS agents in Africa, Asia, and South America to partner with the WENs and assist enforcement efforts.
Supporting Community-Based and Partner Solutions. USAID has doubled its efforts to address this crisis, investing $26 million in Africa in fiscal year 2014 alone to develop new solutions by working with local communities, governments and other partners. For example, USAID supported a tripling of ranger enrollment at a Kenyan Field Training School in 2012, which, combined with a recent training helped more than 300 young men from northern Kenya become conservation rangers in their pastoralist communities. Long-term investments in community conservation increase habitat under conservation, build capacity of community scouts and rangers, and develop livelihood and economic opportunities for local communities through conservation based enterprises. Many countries with strong community conservancies have recorded a below average or no loss of wildlife from poaching in these areas.
Leveraging Rewards. In November 2013, Secretary of State Kerry announced the first reward offer under the Transnational Organized Crime Reward Programs to combat wildlife trafficking. This reward offers up to $1 million for information leading to the dismantling of the Xaysavang Network, a transnational crime syndicate facilitating wildlife trafficking from Africa and Asia.
Pursuing Global Operations. In early 2014, the United States also worked with governments across Africa and Asia on Cobra II, a global cooperative effort to combat wildlife poaching and trafficking. Cobra II brought together police, customs, and wildlife officials from 28 countries and resulted in hundreds of arrests and major seizures of trafficked wildlife and wildlife products.

U.S. Efforts at Home. Our domestic enforcement efforts complement and support the work that the United States does around the globe in partnership with foreign nations. United States law prohibits smuggling into or trafficking in the United States of plants or animals that were killed in violation of the wildlife laws of other nations as well as those protected under U.S. law or international treaties. We take wildlife crime seriously and are committed to making wildlife traffickers pay for their crimes.

Operation Crash. One current example of U.S. enforcement operations targeting those who exploit Africa’s natural resources is Operation Crash, an ongoing U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigation into the rhinoceros horn trade. With enforcement support from 40 U.S. states and 10 foreign nations, federal investigators have taken down several sophisticated, international criminal networks, and their investigations continue. Defendants have been convicted of numerous offenses, including conspiracy, smuggling, money laundering, and bribery, are receiving significant jail terms, and have already forfeited millions in illegal wildlife, gold bars, luxury vehicles, and currency.
Smuggling Conviction Example. In a recent case, a defendant who smuggled newly acquired elephant ivory from West Africa into the United States, disguising and selling it as antique, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and forfeited $150,000 as well as approximately one ton of ivory -- one of the largest known caches of illegal ivory ever seized in the United States.
Additional U.S. Enforcement Actions. Specially trained USFWS Wildlife Inspectors work side-by-side with U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) officers and agricultural specialists at our ports of entry to detect and identify illegally traded wildlife products. USFWS has agents dedicated to investigating perpetrators and bringing them to justice. This year, we significantly enhanced our wildlife trafficking detection capabilities by integrating USFWS officers into CBP’s Commercial Targeting Analysis Center, thereby combining the specialized knowledge that resides within the wildlife trafficking enforcement realm with the powerful tools and analysis capabilities of CBP. In addition, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations continue to investigate wildlife trafficking in coordination with USFWS and National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Earlier this year USFWS posted a Federal Agent at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok to serve as a liaison on wildlife trafficking investigations in Southeast Asia. We are actively pursuing additional regional postings in Africa.

Reducing Demand for Illegally Traded Wildlife

The United States recognizes that, for illegal wildlife killing to stop, we must address the consumer demand that drives poaching. To this end, we are funding public awareness campaigns and public service announcements featuring prominent celebrities and local leaders to reduce the demand in Asia. We are engaging the transportation sector, online retailers, and the tourism industry to leverage their considerable power to aid our efforts, and we are expanding U.S. ivory trade controls to achieve a near total ban on the commercial trade of elephant ivory.

Near Complete Ban on U.S. Ivory Trade. USFWS has already issued a Director’s Order that instructs U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel to strictly enforce existing restrictions on the import of elephant ivory and on the import, export and sale of items made from other protected species under the “antiques exception” of the Endangered Species Act. In addition, USFWS has published regulations prohibiting the sale of all elephant ivory within the United States unless the seller can demonstrate that the ivory was lawfully imported prior to 1990 for African elephants and 1975 for Asian elephants, or was imported under an exemption document. USFWS will also publish a proposed rule later this year to strengthen Endangered Species Act protections for African elephants, particularly by further restricting domestic sale and export of African elephant ivory and limiting the number of legally-allowed African elephant sport-hunted trophies that an individual may import to two per hunter per year. We hope these actions will inspire other nations to take similar steps. Additionally, USAID has focused efforts on behavior change and support for public awareness campaigns to reduce demand for wildlife in Thailand, Vietnam and China. For example, campaigns use local celebrities and high-profile government officials in public service campaigns to create a groundswell of public opinion against wildlife purchases.

Expanding International Cooperation

The United States will continue to lead global efforts to protect the world’s iconic animals, many of which live in Africa, and preserve our planet’s wildlife for future generations. But we cannot do it alone. Combating wildlife trafficking will require the shared understanding, commitment, and efforts of the world’s governments, intergovernmental organizations, NGOs, corporations, civil society, and individuals.

U.S. Efforts in Multilateral Fora. The United States is working to persuade U.N. Member States to treat wildlife trafficking as a “serious crime” as defined in the U.N. Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. We have advocated for countries to work together against wildlife trafficking in a number of multilateral fora, including Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the G-7, the U.N. General Assembly, the U.N. Environment Assembly, the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime, and the U.N. Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice. We worked with our mission to the United Nations to secure the inclusion of language to address wildlife trafficking in two Security Council Resolutions sanctioning African armed groups, which were adopted in January 2014.
U.S.-Bilateral Efforts. Bilaterally, the United States partners with many African governments to support national and local efforts to protect and sustain their wildlife and develop their own multifaceted national strategies. We are expanding our efforts to raise the problem of wildlife trafficking at all levels of our bilateral diplomatic and development engagement with foreign governments. U.S. Ambassadors and USAID Mission Directors in African countries and other State Department and USAID principals continue to partner with African countries to work to protect their wildlife and prevent trafficking and the corruption it breeds.
Wildlife Trafficking Tech Challenge. USAID will soon launch the Wildlife Trafficking Tech Challenge to seek innovative technology solutions to shut down transit routes, improve forensic and intelligence gathering tools, address consumer demand, and combat corruption along the illegal supply chain.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

August 04, 2014

FACT SHEET: U.S. Support for Democratic Institutions, Good Governance, and Human Rights in Africa

“[I]f the dignity of the individual is upheld across Africa, then I believe Americans will be more free as well, because I believe that none of us are fully free when others in the human family remain shackled by poverty or disease or oppression. … Governments that respect the rights of their citizens and abide by the rule of law do better, grow faster, draw more investment than those who don’t.” – President Obama, Cape Town, South Africa, June 30, 2013

The United States is deeply committed to helping African countries strengthen their political institutions, address the challenges of governance, promote an active and empowered civil society, and uphold human rights. We view these efforts as vital to achieving Africa’s economic and security goals, because strong, accountable, and transparent institutions and a commitment to the rule of law help attract investment and generate prosperity, create trust in government, and help mitigate conflict and protect civilians from violence. Our ongoing efforts include:

Supporting Free and Fair Elections. Elections provide a crucial opportunity for citizens to hold their leaders and political parties accountable and to give ordinary citizens a role in determining the future of their nations through peaceful political competition. Through our diplomacy and our assistance, the United States remains committed to supporting credible, transparent, and inclusive elections, encouraging a respect for the political rules of the game, and reducing the likelihood of electoral violence. Our activities include supporting voter registration and civic and voter education; building the capacity of election commissions; strengthening political parties; training official and unofficial civil society election observers; and facilitating the inclusion of women, youth, and people with disabilities at all stages of the electoral process. U.S. elections assistance includes:

In Nigeria, the United States is providing approximately $51 million over five years to support the conduct of credible and peaceful elections in 2015 and beyond. The United States is working with other donors to support Nigeria’s electoral management bodies and strengthen the ability of Nigerian civil society to promote electoral reforms, expand voter education, and monitor electoral processes in the run-up to the 2015 elections.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United States is committed to working with the Congolese people, the government, and other donors to encourage the conduct of local, provincial, and national elections that are credible, timely, and in line with the Congolese constitution. In May 2014, the U.S. government announced $30 million in additional funding for elections and stabilization.
In Tunisia, the United States is committed to supporting Tunisia’s democratic process, and is providing more than $9 million in elections assistance for the 2014 elections, including to support international and domestic observer missions, voter outreach and education programs, and the establishment of a new electoral commission to oversee presidential and parliamentary elections to complete the country’s democratic transition followings decades of autocratic rule.
In Malawi, the United States provided $3.5 million in assistance for voter education, media training around election issues, and the Malawi Electoral Support Network’s domestic observation and parallel vote tabulation, which helped bolster confidence in the credibility of the May 2014 elections.

Supporting Civil Society and Promoting Civic Engagement. A vibrant and empowered civil society is both a cornerstone of democracy, helping to promote inclusiveness, transparency, rule of law and human rights, and a partner to governments and the private sector in delivering services. President Obama elevated democracy and governance as a key priority for the Administration when, on the margins of the 2013 UN General Assembly, he launched Stand with Civil Society, reaffirming the rights to freedom of assembly and association globally. Through our diplomacy and our assistance, U.S. government engagement in this area in Africa includes:

In partnership with other governments and private foundations, the United States launched Making All Voices Count to support innovation and research that will empower citizens to engage with government, voice their feedback and demands, and secure government responses. This partnership with the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Omidyar Network, and the Open Society Foundations is providing $55 million globally in support and capacity building from 2013 through 2017. The first round of grants, totaling $2.5 million, was announced this spring and will benefit several African countries, including South Africa, Liberia, Ghana and Nigeria.
In Tunisia, the United States has provided nearly $50 million to strengthen participatory and inclusive political processes, build the capacity of civil society to stay connected to citizens through ongoing civic education and engagement, and promote freedom of expression.
In Liberia, the U.S. government, through a 5-year, $18 million program, has assisted civil society organizations in expanding their role from delivering services to engaging in governance and policy processes. The United States has also supported programs that promote civic engagement in policymaking throughout the region, including in Ghana and Tanzania.
Through the Peace Corps, the United States supports volunteer programs across Africa, including Liberia’s National Youth Service Program Volunteers and Togo’s Program for the Promotion of National Volunteers.
Through the President’s Young African Leaders Initiative, the United States is helping enhance the capacity, leadership skills, and networks of young leaders committed to building strong democratic institutions and driving economic growth and prosperity. President Obama recently announced the expansion of this effort through the creation of Regional Leadership Centers in Africa and doubling the number of participants in the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders program to reach 1,000 participants each year by 2016.

Partnering to Promote Good Governance and Openness. The U.S. government is working to support African countries as they make improvements in the delivery of public and social services to their citizens and commit to policy and regulatory reforms designed to promote inclusive governance and attract investment, including by opening up their governments. U.S. support in this area includes:

Through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), the United States partners with African countries that perform well on critical indicators of good governance, and make investments to reduce poverty and generate economic growth. Of the seven MCC compacts currently being implemented in Africa, investments in Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Malawi and Zambia have direct links to building stronger governance-related institutions. In addition, MCC’s rigorous selection criteria have provided incentives for African countries to reform policies, strengthen institutions and improve data quality.
With South Africa, Tanzania, and five other countries, President Obama in 2011 launched the Open Government Partnership (OGP), a voluntary, multi-stakeholder initiative in which governments make concrete commitments to promote transparency, empower citizens, fight corruption, and harness new technologies. The OGP has grown rapidly to include 64 countries, including Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Sierra Leone, and Tunisia from Africa. U.S. assistance has helped Sierra Leone to develop its first OGP National Action Plan with robust citizen engagement; Tunisia to become eligible to join OGP on the third anniversary of its revolution in January; and, with support totaling approximately $16 million, Liberia to implement its OGP commitments to transparency, accountability and citizen engagement. The United States is also working with several private sector partners and associations to help build capacity to implement open data policies, develop legal and regulatory reforms, and improve accountability and public service delivery in African OGP member countries.
Voice of America (VOA), overseen by the Broadcasting Board of Governors, has country-specific news and information programming in local languages across the continent as well as in English and French. These programs, produced with on-air talent from the countries where their audiences are located, showcase democratic best practices in the United States and around the globe, and promote understanding of human rights. Corruption and good governance are recurring themes in much of VOA’s reporting of events in the region.
The United States is also providing assistance to help governments improve service delivery, including through the launch of a $38 million, four-year Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance Program in Tanzania to promote government accountability at the local and national level, including in the health, agriculture, and education sectors. In Ghana, the U.S. government has worked to help improve the delivery of public services by training local government officials in effective planning, budgeting, and implementation and strengthening citizens’ ability to advocate and engage with local government. In Nigeria, the United States is supporting a 5-year, $40 million program with similar goals.

Consolidating the Rule of Law and Protecting Human Rights. Protecting the rights and ensuring the participation of all people in civic and political life are critical to democratic governance and economic growth. Through our active diplomacy, public outreach, and programmatic assistance, the United States continues to engage African governments, civil society, and international institutions to advance human rights for all people in Africa, including women and girls and vulnerable communities such as persons with disabilities, indigenous minorities, and individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT). U.S. government activities in this area include:

The U.S. government helps build the capacity of anticorruption, counter-narcotic, judicial, and police sector institutions across Africa to uphold the rule of law through informed, transparent, and fair investigations and prosecutions of transnational organized crime. Our West Africa Cooperative Security Initiative focuses on building the capacity of judges, prosecutors, and police to fight organized crime, increasing civil society’s ability to expose corruption and empowering citizens to fight it, thereby helping citizens and reform-minded officials improve governance in countries such as Senegal, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Togo.
In the Great Lakes region, the U.S. is funding a $1.5 million program over two years to strengthen judicial capacity; improve the impartiality, efficiency, and effectiveness of magistrates and court support personnel; support interaction between the judicial sector and civil society organizations; and provide training on best practices for addressing women’s rights.
In Côte d’Ivoire, the U.S. government is providing assistance of $19 million over five years to help make the justice sector more effective, accessible, and equitable, including by providing training for judicial personnel and community organizations and helping rehabilitate judicial infrastructure.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Africa, the U.S. government has worked to provide legal redress mechanisms and treatment services to survivors of gender-based violence.
As President Obama said to the U.N. General Assembly in 2011, no country should deny people their rights because of who they love, which is why the U.S. government stands up for the human rights of LGBT people everywhere. In addition to our ongoing public outreach and our diplomatic advocacy, the U.S. government’s investments in protecting the human rights of and access to services by LGBT persons have continued to expand, including through USAID’s LGBT Global Development Partnership and the Department of State’s Global Equality Fund, which have provided over $20 million since 2011 in 50 countries worldwide, including across Africa.
President Obama announced in 2012 a comprehensive Administration strategy to prevent atrocities, underscoring that “preventing mass atrocities and genocide is a core national security interest and a core moral responsibility of the United States of America.” The U.S. government is working to implement that strategy and investing in prevention efforts within the U.S. government and around the world, including through our efforts to support the training and deployment of effective peacekeepers to the Central African Republic and to mitigate the risk of violence associated with the upcoming national elections in Burundi, Nigeria, and other countries in Africa.
The United States works closely with foreign governments and civil society to combat human trafficking, which afflicts communities in the United States, Africa, and all over the world. The Department of State and USAID have increased their commitments to programs countering trafficking in persons in sub-Saharan Africa by $4.2 million, for a total of $13.4 million over the next two years, including technical assistance in developing and implementing strong national anti-trafficking frameworks and support to research on human trafficking in certain product supply chains.
The U.S. government partners with oil, gas, and mining companies and other stakeholders through the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights Initiative to help and encourage companies to ensure that their activities respect the human rights of people in the communities where they do business. To that end, the State Department funds a program to help implement the Voluntary Principles in Ghana and Nigeria.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

August 04, 2014

Presidential Memorandum -- Establishing a Comprehensive Approach to Expanding Sub-Saharan Africa's Capacity for Trade and Investment

MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES

SUBJECT: Establishing a Comprehensive Approach to Expanding Sub-Saharan Africa's Capacity for Trade and Investment

In June 2012, I released the U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa (Strategy) outlining a comprehensive U.S. policy for the region. The Strategy builds on many of the initiatives launched during my Administration, and in particular highlights an effort critical to the future of Sub-Saharan Africa: boosting broadbased economic growth, including through trade and investment. The Strategy outlines a number of actions to help accelerate inclusive economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa, including: promoting an environment that enables trade and investment; improving economic governance; promoting regional integration; expanding Sub-Saharan African capacity to effectively access and benefit from global markets; and encouraging U.S. companies to trade with and invest in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is a cornerstone of the trade relationship between the United States and Sub-Saharan Africa. Since AGOA went into effect 14 years ago, exports from Sub-Saharan Africa to the United States have more than doubled and non-oil and non-mineral exports in particular have increased nearly fourfold. The growth of new export industries has supported the creation of hundreds of thousands of jobs in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, my Administration's recent review of AGOA has revealed that, while the tariff preferences provided under AGOA are important, they alone are not sufficient to promote transformational growth in trade and investment. For beneficiary countries to be able to utilize AGOA to its fullest, this program must be linked to a comprehensive, coordinated trade and investment capacitybuilding approach with clearly stated goals and benchmarks.

In July 2013, I announced the launch of Trade Africa, an initiative to encourage greater regional integration and to increase trade and investment between the United States and Sub-Saharan Africa by aligning U.S. assistance with governmental and private sector engagements. Trade Africa initially focused on the East African Community, with the intention of expanding over time within Sub-Saharan Africa.

Targeted and strategic trade and investment capacity building is critical to achieving not only the goals of AGOA and Trade Africa, but also other U.S. trade and investment initiatives, such as the Doing Business in Africa Campaign and the National
Export Initiative/NEXT.

Executive departments and agencies (agencies) have made major strides in advancing the trade and investment related goals of the Strategy. In order to achieve maximum effectiveness, however, it is important to align agencies' efforts and resources through a coordinated approach that is data-driven, goal-oriented, and strategic, and that builds on the experience of U.S. Government initiatives such as the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the Millennium Challenge Account, Feed the Future, Power Africa, and Partnership for Growth.

Section 1. Policy. It shall be the policy of the United States to spur trade and investment with and within
Sub-Saharan Africa through a coordinated approach involving U.S. Government engagement, assistance programs, and partnerships with the private sector.

Sec. 2. Steering Group. There is established a Steering Group on Africa Trade and Investment Capacity Building (Steering Group), to be chaired by the Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economics or her designee from the National Security Council staff. The Steering Group shall meet regularly.

Sec. 3. Membership. The Steering Group shall include designated representatives from:

(a) the Department of State;

(b) the Department of the Treasury;

(c) the Department of Agriculture;

(d) the Department of Commerce;

(e) the Department of Transportation;

(f) the Department of Energy;

(g) the Department of Homeland Security;

(h) the Overseas Private Investment Corporation;

(i) the Millennium Challenge Corporation;

(j) the United States Agency for International Development;

(k) the United States Trade and Development Agency;

(l) the Export-Import Bank of the United States;

(m) the Office of the United States Trade Representative;

(n) the Office of Management and Budget;

(o) the African Development Foundation;

(p) the Small Business Administration;

(q) the Council of Economic Advisers; and

(r) such agencies and offices as the Chair may, from time to time, designate.

Sec. 4. Functions. Consistent with the authorities and responsibilities of its member agencies and offices, the
Steering Group shall perform the following functions:

(a) Not later than 180 days after the date of this memorandum, the Steering Group shall report to the President, through the National Security Advisor, recommendations on a comprehensive approach to expanding Sub-Saharan Africa's capacity for trade and investment, consistent with U.S. trade and investment policy, development policy, and international agreements. The recommendations shall include:

(i) clearly defined goals and benchmarks for increasing trade and investment in Sub-Saharan Africa, and appropriate and transparent criteria for identifying priority countries, regions, and sectors that have the greatest potential to contribute toward meeting these goals and benchmarks;

(ii) an indication of how the recommendations complement other major U.S. Government initiatives and partnerships focused on related issues;

(iii) an outline of how to utilize programs across agencies to achieve these goals;

(iv) an assessment of how the recommendations complement the activities of other major development partners, including Sub-Saharan African countries;

(v) an explanation of how the recommendations fit within existing budget constraints and resource requests, with identification of any significant funding gaps; and

(vi) clearly articulated roles and responsibilities of relevant agencies.

(b) In undertaking these efforts, the Steering Group shall:

(i) consider a broad range of potential trade and investment capacity building, including: activities that support AGOA utilization; trade-related efforts to enhance regional integration; programs to develop supply chains; support for development of hard and soft infrastructure; and activities to foster a nondiscriminatory environment that enables trade and investment. Such activities include regulatory reform and transparency, trade facilitation and better border operations (including implementation of the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement), and implementation of World Trade Organization commitments (including those that relate to science-based sanitary and phytosanitary measures and other technical standards);

(ii) take into account the range of supply-side constraints to trade in Sub-Saharan Africa, growing private sector interest in trade with and investment in Sub-Saharan Africa, U.S. trade policies and interests (including in addressing barriers to
U.S. trade and investment), international obligations, and the best means to promote regional integration and support value-added production;

(iii) consult stakeholders, including Sub-Saharan African partner governments, regional economic communities, partner donor countries, the private sector, development banks, non-governmental organizations, and others as appropriate;

(iv) coordinate its efforts with the interagency Trade Policy Committee, which was authorized by section 242 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, as amended, and established by Executive Order 11846 of March 27, 1975, and the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee, which was authorized by statute in 1992 (15 U.S.C. 4727) and established by Executive
Order 12870 of September 30, 1993; and

(v) coordinate its efforts with other U.S. Government initiatives focused on related issues, including Power Africa, Feed the Future, the Doing Business in Africa Campaign, Partnership for Growth, and the Young African Leaders Initiative, to ensure that U.S. assistance supports consistent policies across initiatives.

Sec. 5. General Provisions. (a) This memorandum shall be implemented consistent with applicable law, and subject to the availability of appropriations.

(b) Nothing in this memorandum shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

(c) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

BARACK OBAMA

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

August 04, 2014

FACT SHEET: Investing in African Trade for our Common Future

Increased regional and international trade has been one of the drivers of Africa’s extraordinary average annual GDP growth rate of 5.1 percent over the last decade. President Obama and his Administration are committed to sustaining and accelerating this growth through a comprehensive strategy to realize the potential of a renewed African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). This strategy includes the following key elements:

Renew and Update AGOA to Increase Market Access Opportunities for Africa
Find Synergies through Aligning Assistance
Improve Infrastructure to Enhance Competitiveness
Strengthen Trade Capacity Building, Value Added Production, and Supply Chains to Increase AGOA Utilization
Create New Markets for Africa

Duty free access to the U.S. market under AGOA over the last 14 years has contributed to Africa’s economic success, as exports from sub-Saharan Africa to the United States more than doubled and non-oil / non-mineral exports have increased fourfold. The application of AGOA’s eligibility criteria and engagement with African governments under the President’s Trade Africa initiative have reinforced broader U.S. and African efforts to promote good governance and improve the business environment in a number of countries, helping develop their competitiveness as an investment destination. To fully realize AGOA’s promise the Administration is committed to renewing and improving AGOA, to further engaging on trade and investment facilitating policies, and to continuing and expanding the broad range of trade capacity building support it provides.

Renew and Update AGOA to Increase Market Access Opportunities for Africa

The Administration is committed to working with Congress to renew and update AGOA to increase market access opportunities for Africa, encourage greater U.S. investment on the continent, and support broad-based growth and two-way trade.

Approve a Long Term Extension of AGOA including “Third Country Fabric:” A long-term extension of AGOA will offer greater certainty in the investment climate, help incentivize such investments and allow lesser-developed African beneficiaries to continue to develop the capacity to trade and take advantage of AGOA preferences.

Expand AGOA’s product coverage: AGOA already provides duty-free access for 97.5 percent of all tariff lines for virtually all AGOA beneficiaries. However, there are 316 tariff lines – most covering agricultural products – that are not currently included. While these products have historically been import sensitive, it is important to examine whether any products can now be added to AGOA.

Improve Rules of Origin: AGOA offers some of the most flexible rules of origin of any U.S. trade arrangement. In an effort to update the rules, however, the Administration is working to identify ways to provide greater flexibility, encourage regional integration and the development of regional value chains, and incentivize more U.S.-Africa trade.

Update Eligibility Criteria and Review Processes: AGOA’s eligibility criteria and review processes have not been updated since its launch, notwithstanding changes in African and global trade practices over the last 14 years. The Administration is working to identify ways that the criteria can be updated to address current challenges and to improve the effectiveness of the review processes.

Find Synergies through Aligning Assistance

President Obama has issued a Presidential Memorandum tasking agencies to recommend strategies to coordinate their trade and investment capacity building activities both across the U.S. Government and with a range of partners: African governments, the private sector, regional economic communities, and international partners such as the African Development Bank. The Steering Group will explore options such as supporting African efforts to develop country- and region-specific AGOA export strategies, developing compacts identifying complementary strategies and investments to be made by the AGOA countries, and partnering with companies and trade associations to develop private sector sourcing initiatives.

Improve Infrastructure to Enhance Competitiveness

The United States will link AGOA to a web of initiatives to help remove infrastructure-related constraints, which a number of recent studies identified as one of the major impediments to developing trade in Africa and improving competitiveness.

Address Hard Infrastructure Constraints: Inadequate infrastructure, particularly in the energy and transportation sectors, impedes the ability of African firms to participate more fully in regional and global trade and hinders international investment in Africa.

In June 2013, President Obama launched Power Africa, an innovative private sector-led initiative aimed at doubling electricity access in sub-Saharan Africa by addressing critical constraints to energy sector development. Power Africa aims to add more than 10,000 megawatts of electricity generation capacity in six initial focus countries, making electricity available to an additional 20 million households and commercial entities.
The U.S.-Africa Clean Energy Finance (ACEF) initiative is focused on supporting the deployment of renewable energy and related infrastructure that is a critical complement to more traditional sources of energy in Africa. ACEF aligns the U.S. Trade and Development Agency’s (USTDA) project planning expertise and the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation’s (OPIC) financing and risk mitigation tools to support private sector investment and increase support for U.S. businesses and exports in sub-Saharan Africa’s clean energy sector. Phase one of the program is on track to catalyze over $1 billion of investment in projects across Africa.
USTDA is using its project planning and partnership building tools, including feasibility studies, technical assistance and reverse trade missions, to develop energy, transportation and telecommunications infrastructure that can help increase trade capacity and reduce the costs of doing business.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) has provided over $3 billion for compacts that support trade, principally through infrastructure, such as roads, ports, and airports, but also for improving the productivity of export-oriented industries, including agriculture, that benefit small and medium enterprises. Going forward, MCC will intensify its analysis of trade competitiveness, including competitiveness of AGOA product lines, for AGOA beneficiaries. MCC will also explore opportunities for regional integration that facilitate trade and address trade barriers through policy and institutional reform.
Through its engagement with TradeMark East Africa (TMEA), the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is addressing port infrastructure issues at the key ports of Mombasa, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The United States will build on this work, including by improving trade and transport efficiency along the Northern and Central Corridors.
The United States will leverage its relationships with the multilateral development banks, particularly the African Development Bank and the World Bank, as well as with other donor countries, to promote additional infrastructure investment, including through regional projects, that will help African countries improve their competitiveness and increase utilization of AGOA.

Improve Soft Infrastructure: Inefficiency and corruption at the border are among the most significant obstacles to trade in Africa. These problems are particularly acute for landlocked countries.

The United States will provide assistance for reforms envisioned by the recently-concluded World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement to lower the cost of doing business in Africa. Such reforms will increase customs efficiency and ease access to new export opportunities through measures like transparency in customs practices, on-line publishing of customs information, reduction of documentary requirements, and pre-arrival processing of documents. This translates to reduced delays for traders at the border, decreased corruption, and more trade opportunities.
Through TMEA, the United States will continue to support efforts to reduce transit times along transportation corridors in the East African Community (EAC), including through the migration of countries to electronic platforms and, ultimately, “single window systems” as well as the establishment of “one-stop-border-posts,” providing a single entry/departure processing procedure.
Through USAID, the United States will continue to support the movement of the African countries towards computerized and common regional customs platforms, like the “Revenue Authorities Digital Data Exchange 2.0” (RADDEx 2.0) platform in the EAC. USAID also will continue to support African public and private sector partners efforts to shine a light on, and address, obstacles to transport and trade, including making available time and cost to trade data across Africa. This includes continued support for the “Borderless Alliance” in West Africa.
Through USAID and the Department of Transportation, the United States will provide technical assistance in upgrading and harmonizing regulations and standards across transportation sectors, which will facilitate the flow of goods, enhance safety, and promote more efficient use of transportation resources.

Strengthen Trade Capacity Building, Value Added Production, And Supply Chains to Improve AGOA Utilization

In many cases, African producers have difficulty exporting to the United States under AGOA because they cannot meet U.S. sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) requirements or quality and marketing standards, or because they lack other technical skills. The United States will offer a range of trade capacity building assistance to help address these constraints and to target priority supply chains for export.

Build Capacity to Meet SPS Measures: Through USAID and USDA, the United States is helping African governments develop institutional capacity to operate science-based animal and plant health and food safety systems, in harmony with international standards. The United States is launching a new five-year SPS policy and regulatory program supporting regional economic communities and the African Union’s Year of Agriculture. This program will serve to increase laboratory capacity, implement aflatoxin controls, and improve regulatory policies and structures in sub-Saharan Africa, in concert with programs under the Feed the Future and Trade Africa initiatives as well as the Doing Business in Africa Campaign.

Build Capacity to Meet Quality and Marketing Standards: The United States will expand its Standards Alliance initiative, a public-private partnership between USAID and the American National Standards Institute, to help African producers meet U.S. quality standards and marketing requirements. Work is currently underway with the EAC, under the Trade Africa umbrella, and with the Southern Africa Development Community. USTDA will also partner with the National Electrical Manufacturers Association on the U.S.-Africa Energy Sector Standards Cooperation Program, a series of technical workshops to facilitate greater engagement between the public and private sector in the United States and sub-Saharan African countries to increase cooperation on standards and regulations for grid and off-grid energy infrastructure.

Invest in Skills Building: The United States will leverage initiatives and projects such as the Young African Leaders Initiative, the African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program, Higher Education for Development, and USDA’s Cochran and Borlaug Fellowship programs, as well as the expertise of agencies like the Small Business Administration, to deliver targeted skills training designed to expand the capacity of African entrepreneurs to trade and increase productivity in key sectors, including through e-learning.

Advance Policies that Promote Economic Growth: Working bilaterally and through international financial institutions, the United States will amplify efforts to encourage domestic policies that promote economic growth. Reforms to promote transparency, public financial management, fair government procurement and efforts to enhance the regulatory environment will help African countries increase predictability for domestic and foreign investment and improve their ability to trade.

Create New Markets for Africa

Promote Regional Integration: Deepening regional integration is key to improving Africa’s competitiveness and increasing sourcing from Africa. The United States is working to promote regional integration through a number of policies and programs. For example, through the Department of the Treasury, the United States is working with the EAC to implement an integrated payment system that will facilitate cross-border movement of goods, services, and capital. In addition, under Trade Africa, the United States is exploring a regional investment agreement with the EAC. This agreement will advance common practices and an improved investment climate across the entire EAC region. As the initial EAC-focused Trade Africa work progresses, we will turn to expanding the initiative over time within sub-Saharan Africa.

Transform Existing “Trade Hubs” into “U.S.-African Trade and Investment Hubs:” The United States will upgrade the existing African Trade Hubs to “U.S.-African Trade and Investment Hubs” that will better support African exports to the United States, as well as create new opportunities for U.S. investment in and exports to Africa.

Increase U.S. Government Commercial Presence in Africa: The U.S. Department of Commerce is doubling its presence in Africa, and USTDA and OPIC are posting additional personnel to help facilitate increased trade and investment with Africa.

Bring the Global Entrepreneurship Summit (GES) to North and Sub-Saharan Africa: The GES is a premier platform for entrepreneurs to showcase their businesses, build new networks, and learn about the latest developments in their field. Morocco will host GES in November. A sub-Saharan African country will do so for the first time in 2015.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

August 04, 2014

FACT SHEET: U.S.-African Cooperation on Food Security

Since coming into office in the midst of a global financial and food crisis, President Obama has made food security a foreign policy priority. Building on commitments first made by African leaders at the African Union (AU) Summit in Maputo in 2003, the President led the G-8 in 2009 in launching a global food security initiative in L’Aquila, Italy and then shortly after launched Feed the Future which invests assistance in countries’ national food security plans, promotes agricultural research and innovation, and helps build the capacity of our partners. Three years later, when he hosted the 2012 G-8 at Camp David, the President joined with the G-8 and African Leaders, the African Union Commission (AUC) and private industry to launch the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition with a goal to lift 50 million people out of poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2022.

This year, the AU revisited its 2003 commitments and declared 2014 the Year of Agriculture and Food Security. At the AU Summit in Malabo in June, African leaders agreed to accelerate agricultural growth as the primary strategy to end poverty in Africa, to reduce vulnerability to climate and weather related risk, to mainstream resilience and risk management, and to end hunger in Africa by 2025 through commitments that include reducing childhood stunting. At the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit the AUC shared its plans for a Roadmap to implement the Malabo Declaration’s commitments, including actions to build resilience to climate and weather-related risks through Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA). The United States affirmed our support and offered continued technical assistance to incorporate CSA into national and regional plans and use climate data, modeling and training to assist countries in adopting CSA approaches. The United States further commits to provide technical support to strengthen the AU Commission’s and national efforts to economically empower women in agriculture. Further, in support of our shared food security agenda this week the United States has:

Announced – in partnership with the AUC – more than $10 billion in planned socially responsible private sector investments through the New Alliance.
Committed to train young people with 1,300 fellowships and long-term training opportunities through a range of Feed the Future Programs.
Sierra Leone, the Ghana Open Data Initiative, IBM, and Kellogg Company announced they would join the United States as partners in the Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN) initiative. GODAN supports global efforts to make agricultural and nutritional data available and accessible for unrestricted use worldwide; and
Invested $1 million in the World Bank’s Agricultural Insurance Development Program (AIDP). This grant will provide analysis and technical assistance to countries to design and implement sustainable, cost-effective public private partnerships in agricultural insurance in order to increase the financial resilience of rural households.

Additionally, together with African leaders, the United States has played a central role in the foundation of and has expressed an intention to join the global Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture (ACSA) slated for launch at the United Nations Secretary General’s Climate Summit in New York in September 2014. This global alliance will embrace the fundamental aspirations of climate-smart agriculture: sustainably improving productivity, building resilience, and reducing and removing greenhouse gases.

The New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition

The New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition expands private sector investment and public-private partnerships for smallholder farming to reduce poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa. Under the New Alliance, international and local private sector partners outline their intentions to invest responsibly in New Alliance countries' agriculture sectors; member countries commit to undertake policy actions to attract private investment; and G-7 and other donors make funding commitments. Today, the 2013-2014 Progress Report for the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition will be released in conjunction with a new website (www.new-alliance.org). In its first two years, the New Alliance has expanded to include 10 African countries and 180 companies (the majority of which are African). In addition more than $10 billion in socially responsible private sector commitments, the New Alliance has resulted in:

$1.1 billion in private commitments realized;
3 million smallholders reached through services, training, sourcing or production contracts;
Nearly 37,000 jobs created; and
Country-led and country-right reforms: in Ethiopia, private sector investment has encouraged the government to liberalize its seed sector; Nigeria has reformed an inefficient fertilizer sector; Tanzania has removed its export ban; Burkina Faso passed two significant laws governing public-private partnership; and Rwanda has strengthened its focus on addressing malnutrition and supporting farmer cooperatives.

Feed the Future

Feed the Future is the President’s global hunger and food security initiative. With a focus on smallholder farmers and building on countries comprehensive food security plans, Feed the Future is driven by country-led priorities and rooted in partnership with governments, other donor organizations, the private sector, and civil society to enable long-term success. particularly women, and building on the standard set by the AU when its members committed to develop comprehensive food security plans, Feed the Future is driven by country-led priorities and rooted in partnership with governments, other donor organizations, the private sector, and civil society to enable long-term success. Feed the Future is also investing in support of a goal to reduce the prevalence of poverty and stunting in the areas where it works by twenty percent. In June, Feed the Future released its 2014 Progress Report (www.feedthefuture.gov/progress). In 12 African countries (of 19 worldwide), Feed the Future has:

Helped nearly 1.8 million farmers in Africa (7 million globally) apply new technologies such as high-yielding seed varieties on about 3.7 million acres of land;
Reached 9.4 million children on the continent (12.5 million globally) with improved nutrition to ensure they have food to fuel their minds and bodies, with a particular focus on the critical 1,000 day window from pregnancy to age two;
More than doubled United States agricultural research investments in five years: deployed more than 34 drought-tolerant maize varieties and investing in 24 Feed the Future Innovation Labs, including the newest lab at Purdue University, which is focused on reducing food waste and post-harvest loss; and
Announced a new commitment to provide technical support to strengthen the AU Commission’s and country governments’ efforts to economically empower women in agriculture. In 2013 alone, Feed the Future, the President’s global hunger and food security initiative, helped nearly 1.8 million farmers in Africa (more than 700,000 of them women) apply new practices and technologies that have the potential to lift them out of poverty.

A Whole of Government Approach

Led for the United States by the U.S. Agency for International Development, Feed the Future and the New Alliance draw on the agricultural, trade, investment, development and policy resources and expertise of 10 federal agencies:

The U.S. African Development Foundation’s food security programs have helped create more than $21 million in new economic activities that directly benefitted more than 125,000 smallholders and their families;
More than 1,200 Peace Corps Volunteers are working to help people make sustainable changes in how they cultivate their food, address water shortages and feed their families;
USDA launched the U.S. Government’s open agriculture data initiative, assessed or improved statistical systems in six Feed the Future focus countries, and trained more than 145,000 food producers in improved agricultural practices, including food safety.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) has moved forward on Compacts in Feed the Future focus countries Mozambique, Tanzania and Senegal, investing in agriculture, land tenure and roads, and is developing a Compact with Liberia. MCC also works in Burkina Faso, Benin and Niger—New Alliance countries--where investments include irrigation, land tenure and roads. In Morocco, the five-year MCC compact concluded in September 2013. Programs in key sectors such as agriculture and fisheries were hailed for their success in reducing poverty while assuring greater food security in Morocco.
The Treasury Department coordinates the United States government support for the World Bank’s Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP). GAFSP issued an additional $255 million in grants and invested approximately $50 million in small- and medium-sized agribusinesses in 2013, bringing its total multilateral funding to $961 million in private and public investments and advisory services in 31 countries.
The Department of State, the Office of the United States Trade Representative and others helped foster major policy changes that support global and local food security goals. The U.S. Department of State established Feed the Future Strategic Partnerships with Brazil, India, and South Africa. Under Strategic Partnerships, the United States and Strategic Partner countries develop and implement joint food and nutrition security-related projects in FTF countries; strengthen historical U.S. linkages with emerging market countries, particularly in multilateral and regional fora; and help improve Strategic Partners’ own overseas development assistance projects.