Tag: American Africa strategy

Immigration

Liberians in U.S. face tough choice as immigration program ends
By Orion Donovan-Smith

Magdalene Menyongar’s day starts with a 5:30 a.m. conference call with women from her church. They pray together as Menyongar makes breakfast and drives to work, reflecting on everything they are thankful for.

But lately, the prayers have turned to matters of politics and immigration. They pray with increasing urgency for Congress or President Trump to act before Menyongar, 48, faces deportation to her native Liberia, where she fled civil war nearly 25 years ago.

In less than six weeks, the order that has allowed her and more than 800 other immigrants from the former American colony in West Africa to live in the United States for decades will end, the result of Trump’s decision last year to terminate a program that every other president since George H.W. Bush supported.

Come March 31, Menyongar will face a choice: Return to Liberia and leave behind her 17-year-old daughter, an American citizen, or stay in the United States, losing her work authorization and becoming an undocumented immigrant.

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Uncategorized

U.S. to host Trade with Africa Business Summit

Following a successful inaugural event in 2018 held in Bentonville, Arkansas; home to world’s leading retailer and Fortune #1; Walmart, global business leaders, trade experts and policy representatives of U.S. and African countries will convene for the 2nd
edition of the “Trade with Africa Business Summit” in Chicago.

This event positions the Chicago Metropolitan area and the State of Illinois as a favorable destination for Africa’s business & political leaders looking to create new trade partnerships in the U.S.

Theme of the 2019 event is: Growing U.S. – Africa Trade, Trade Financing & Developing Africa’s Supply Chain. Africa offers new markets for U.S. made products. Similarly, U.S. serves as an untapped market for authentic African products (raw and manufactured). Trade with Africa Business Summit 2019 helps fast-track such discussions with stakeholders from the world’s next economic frontier; Africa. Continue reading “U.S. to host Trade with Africa Business Summit” →

Policy

US INVESTORS TO HELP BUILD AFRICA

By Bolaji Samuel

The tension between the two economic giants in the world, China and the United States (US), might have a silver lining for Africa. The administration of President Donald Trump is set to increase investment into the continent, in a bid to counter the narrative that China’s influence in Africa is rising, while the US falls off with its “America first” approach.

President Trump signed the legislation, the Better Utilization of Investments Leading to Development Act, or the BUILD Act, into law in October 2018. It combines the US Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and other US agencies focusing on international economic development into a newly consolidated agency called the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).

It is anticipated that the DFC will be operational in October 2019 and at that time the DFC will begin deploying US equity capital in African private equity.
The DFC expands OPIC’s budget from USD29 billion to USD60 billion and provides the DFC with the authority to make limited equity investments. Previously, OPIC was limited to debt investments.

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