The Africa eJournal

President’s Message - July/August/September 2025 eJournal

As we enter the final quarter of 2025, the U.S.–Africa economic relationship stands at a defining crossroads. The momentum generated at our historic U.S.–Africa Business Summit in Luanda — with more than $4 billion in trade and investment deals — demonstrated what is possible when American and African partners come together with shared purpose. But that progress now risks losing steam unless Congress and the Administration act swiftly to renew two cornerstone initiatives that have underpinned our partnership for the past two decades: the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).

Both have lapsed — and with them, critical tools that advance not only Africa’s growth but also America’s competitiveness, jobs, and global influence. Their renewal is not about charity. It is about strategic investment in America’s own economic and security interests, consistent with the Administration’s “America First” agenda.

Renew AGOA: Securing American Supply Chains and Markets

AGOA has long been the foundation of the U.S.–Africa trade relationship, providing duty-free access for African exports while strengthening supply chain resilience for U.S. companies. Renewing it — even for a short-term period through the continuing resolution now under debate — would help secure American supply chains, diversify sourcing away from China-dominated networks, and strengthen U.S. access to a fast-growing consumer market of 1.4 billion people.

AGOA supports American jobs — in logistics, shipping, design, and manufacturing — and enhances U.S. export opportunities to African producers. It is a quintessential “win-win”: good for Africa’s industrialization and job creation, and good for American competitiveness and workers.

If the United States fails to renew AGOA quickly, we risk ceding market share to Europe and China, both of which have already granted broad, preferential access to African products. Timely renewal would send a powerful signal that America remains open for business with Africa — not retreating from it.

Reauthorize the DFC: America’s Competitive Edge in Africa

The DFC has proven to be one of America’s most effective tools for catalyzing private-sector-led growth abroad while creating export and procurement opportunities at home. In just five years, DFC investments have enabled U.S. firms to compete in sectors such as energy, critical minerals, digital infrastructure, and healthcare — areas where China has moved aggressively.

Letting the DFC’s authorization lapse would weaken America’s ability to compete for major infrastructure and investment deals, many of which directly support U.S. contractors, suppliers, and technology companies. Reauthorization would sustain America’s leadership in transparent, high-standard development finance and strengthen the hand of U.S. companies seeking fair competition in African markets.

A Moment to Act — and Lead

Renewing AGOA and reauthorizing DFC are not bureaucratic technicalities; they are strategic imperatives. Together, they form the twin pillars of a modern U.S.–Africa economic strategy — one that prioritizes trade over aid, investment over assistance, and partnership over dependency.

Africa is one of the world’s fastest-growing regions, with vast potential in energy, agriculture, digital innovation, and green industry. It is also a continent where the U.S. enjoys a unique advantage: a deep and living diaspora connection that binds our histories, cultures, and futures in ways unmatched by any other global partner.

Failing to renew these initiatives would not only hurt U.S. business but also diminish America’s credibility at a time when China, Russia, and others are rapidly expanding their economic and political footprints across the continent.

Good for America. Good for Africa. Good for Our Shared Future.

AGOA and DFC are not gifts to Africa — they are smart investments in America’s future. They expand markets for U.S. companies, strengthen our supply chains, and create American jobs, all while supporting Africa’s drive for sustainable, private-sector-led growth.

As the Administration and Congress negotiate a path to reopen the government, we urge them to act decisively to renew both AGOA and DFC. Doing so will reaffirm the bipartisan tradition of U.S. leadership in Africa and demonstrate that the “America First” agenda is not about retreating from the world — it is about competing and winning through partnership, innovation, and shared prosperity.

The Corporate Council on Africa stands ready to work with our members, partners, and policy makers to ensure these priorities are enacted without delay. Together, we can keep building the pathways to prosperity that unite our nations and our peoples.

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Sincerely,  

Florizelle Liser
President & CEO
Corporate Council on Africa

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