WASHINGTON, D.C., June 25, 2018 – The U.S. Government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Nash will join a delegation from the U.S. Department of Commerce and the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA) on a mission to Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana later this month. The visits provide an opportunity for the delegation to gather insight into market opportunities and challenges faced by U.S. businesses in these fast-growing economies.
During the visit, the delegation will also hear more about MCC’s investments aimed at increasing private sector-led economic growth. MCC’s $524.7 million Côte d’Ivoire Compact is designed to support private investment by building workforce capacity and reducing transportation costs.
MCC’s $498 million Ghana Power Compact will transform the power sector and provide more reliable, affordable power to the country’s businesses and households. A lack of affordable and reliable power is a barrier to doing business in Ghana, holding back the country’s potential for private investment and partnership with businesses.
For additional information on how to cover this trip, contact press@MCC.gov.
For more information on MCC’s investments, visit www.MCC.gov.
U.S. Department of Commerce
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Tim Truman June 19, 2018 202-482-3809
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa Set for Fact-Finding Mission to Ethiopia, Kenya, Côte D’Ivoire, and Ghana
WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross announced today that he will lead a delegation from the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA) on a fact-finding mission to Ghana later this month. Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade Gilbert Kaplan will head the delegation on stops in Ethiopia, Kenya and Côte D’Ivoire as well as accompany Secretary Ross in Ghana. These visits provide an opportunity for the delegation to gather insight into market opportunities and challenges faced by U.S. businesses in these fast-growing economies. The PAC-DBIA will use this information to provide President Trump with reliable and actionable recommendations to deepen commercial relationships in these countries.
“President Trump and I firmly believe that American companies, working in conjunction with the African business community, will help African countries develop and, ultimately, take their rightful place within the international economic system,” said Secretary Ross. “U.S. companies can supply both cutting-edge technology and superior know-how regarding corporate governance and project management to emerging markets across Africa.”
This mission underscores the Trump administration’s commitment to both advance opportunities and to eliminate trade barriers to strengthen the U.S.-Africa commercial relationship. During the trip, PAC-DBIA members will gather country-specific information for use in making recommendations to the President to resolve issues related to underdeveloped capital markets, non-transparent and price-based procurement processes, and workforce development.
The delegation will be comprised of PAC-DBIA representatives from the following companies:
- Acrow Bridge
- Amethyst Technologies
- APR Energy, LLC
- Bechtel Overseas Corporation
- Black Rhino
- Caterpillar
- Citi
- Computer Frontiers, Inc.
- Dow Chemical Company
- DSC Dredge
- GE Africa
- IBM
- Insta-Pro International
- Kosmos Energy
- Shea Yeleen
- Synnove Energy
- UPS
- Varian Medical Systems
- Vermeer
- VISA, Inc.
Chaired by Secretary Ross, the PAC-DBIA advises the President on ways to strengthen commercial engagement between the United States and Africa.