§3723. Free trade agreements with sub-Saharan African countries

(a) Declaration of policy

Congress declares that free trade agreements should be negotiated, where feasible, with interested countries in sub-Saharan Africa, in order to serve as the catalyst for increasing trade between the United States and sub-Saharan Africa and increasing private sector investment in sub-Saharan Africa.

(b) Plan requirement

(1) In general

The President, taking into account the provisions of the treaty establishing the African Economic Community and the willingness of the governments of sub-Saharan African countries to engage in negotiations to enter into free trade agreements, shall develop a plan for the purpose of negotiating and entering into one or more trade agreements with interested beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries.

(2) Elements of plan

The plan shall include the following:

(A) The specific objectives of the United States with respect to negotiations described in paragraph (1) and a suggested timetable for achieving those objectives.

(B) The benefits to both the United States and the relevant sub-Saharan African countries with respect to the applicable free trade agreement or agreements.

(C) A mutually agreed-upon timetable for the negotiations.

(D) The implications for and the role of regional and sub-regional organizations in sub-Saharan Africa with respect to such free trade agreement or agreements.

(E) Subject matter anticipated to be covered by the negotiations and United States laws, programs, and policies, as well as the laws of participating eligible African countries and existing bilateral and multilateral and economic cooperation and trade agreements, that may be affected by the agreement or agreements.

(F) Procedures to ensure the following:

(i) Adequate consultation with the Congress and the private sector during the negotiations.

(ii) Consultation with the Congress regarding all matters relating to implementation of the agreement or agreements.

(iii) Approval by the Congress of the agreement or agreements.

(iv) Adequate consultations with the relevant African governments and African regional and subregional intergovernmental organizations during the negotiation of the agreement or agreements.

(c) Reporting requirement

Not later than 12 months after May 18, 2000, the President shall prepare and transmit to the Congress a report containing the plan developed pursuant to subsection (b).

( Pub. L. 106–200, title I, §116, May 18, 2000, 114 Stat. 266 .)

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Coordination of Efforts To Develop Free Trade Agreements With Sub-Saharan African Countries

Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title XII, §1293, Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2560 , as amended by Pub. L. 115–232, div. A, title XII, §1289, Aug. 13, 2018, 132 Stat. 2081 , provided that:

"(a) Coordination Between the United States Trade Representative and Other Agencies.-The United States Trade Representative shall consult and coordinate with other relevant Federal agencies to assist countries identified under paragraph (1) of section 110(b) of the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 (Public Law 114–27; 129 Stat. 370; 19 U.S.C. 3705 note) in the most recent report required by that section, including through the deployment of resources from those agencies to such countries and through trade capacity building, in addressing the plan developed under paragraph (3) of that section.

"(b) Coordination of USAID With Free Trade Agreement Policy.-

"(1) Authorization of funds.-Funds made available to the United States Agency for International Development under section 496 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2293) after the date of the enactment of this Act [Dec. 23, 2016] may be used, in consultation with the United States Trade Representative-

"(A) to assist eligible countries, including by deploying resources to such countries, in addressing the plan developed under section 116(b) of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C. 3723(b)); and

"(B) to assist eligible countries in the implementation of the commitments of those countries under agreements with the United States and under the WTO Agreement (as defined in section 2(9) of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 3501(9))) and agreements annexed to the WTO Agreement.

"(2) Definitions.-In this subsection:

"(A) Eligible country.-The term 'eligible country' means a sub-Saharan African country that receives-

"(i) benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C. 3701 et seq.); and

"(ii) funding from the United States Agency for International Development.

"(B) Sub-saharan african country.-The term 'sub-Saharan African country' has the meaning given that term in section 107 of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C. 3706).

"(c) Coordination With Millennium Challenge Corporation.-

"(1) In general.-After the date of the enactment of this subsection [Aug. 13, 2018], with respect to those countries identified under section 110(b)(1) of the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 (Public Law 114–27; 129 Stat. 370; 19 U.S.C. 3705 note) that also meet the country description in paragraph (2), the United States Trade Representative shall consult and coordinate with the Millennium Challenge Corporation and the United States Agency for International Development for the purpose of developing and carrying out the plan required by section 116(b) of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C. 3723(b)).

"(2) Country description.-A country is described in this paragraph if the country-

"(A) has entered into a Millennium Challenge Compact pursuant to section 609 of the Millennium Challenge Act of 2003 (22 U.S.C. 7708); or

"(B) is selected by the Board of Directors of the Millennium Challenge Corporation under subsection (c) of section 607 of that Act (22 U.S.C. 7706) from among the countries determined to be eligible countries under subsection (a) of that section."