About the AGOA CSO Network Secretariat
The AGOA Civil Society (CSO) Network is a consortium of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), small-to-medium sized business representatives, chambers of commerce and other groups in the United States and Africa that are interested in the successful application of AGOA for the benefit of the US and African peoples.
The Network was established by 102 member organizations from the United States, Mauritius, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Namibia, Mali, Lesotho and the Democratic Republic of Congo that were in attendance during the AGOA Civil Society Forum on January 17, 2003, in Phoenix, Mauritius.
The AGOA CSO Network’s focus is on increasing the volume and quality of African exports under AGOA and educating stakeholders on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean on this trade policy and its advantages.
Mission
In keeping with the spirit of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the mission of the network is to empower African people through their civil society organizations to work with governments and businesses to take maximum advantage of AGOA benefits on behalf of the citizens of their countries.
The Network accomplishes this mission through three means:
1. Monitoring compliance with AGOA eligibility requirements,
2. Providing technical assistance to its members, public and private sectors on AGOA compliance and trade capacity where feasible; and
3. Tracking the impact of AGOA specifically and trade generally on African societies
Objectives
Objectives of the AGOA Civil Society Network include increased US-Africa trade, economic development, and the establishment of good governance, transparency, sustainable democracy and human rights throughout the countries of Africa.
Ongoing Projects
- Annual report on eligibility requirement compliance of AGOA nations and assessment of compliance by non-AGOA nations compiled by national network affiliates
- Ongoing training by network member NGOs on trade capacity for African and American businesses to support and expand AGOA trade by small and medium enterprises
- Ongoing training by network member NGOs on trade, economic, political and social policy issues for African governments to enhance AGOA eligibility and compliance
- Annual report on the impact of trade on African societies that measures the impact beyond commercial statistics and offers recommendations on broadening the benefits of trade
Become part of the solution by joining, today!
AGOA Civil Society Network Membership