08 July 2009
This Week from Washington July 9
Podcast on economic growth in Africa and role of U.S. first lady
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A central objective of U.S. trade relations with sub-Saharan Africa is to create a platform for expanded African economic growth. Sub-Saharan Africa’s current share of global trade is less than 2 percent, down from 6 percent in 1980. If sub-Saharan Africa were to increase that share by just 1 percentage point to 3 percent, it would generate additional export revenues of $70 billion annually, nearly three times the amount of current annual assistance to Africa from all donors. This reflects the importance of trade as a critical platform for Africa’s economic growth.
At a June 24th congressional hearing, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative Florizelle Liser said that exports from the African continent are concentrated in primary commodities such as petroleum, minerals, cocoa and coffee. She added that there is little manufacturing capacity in sub-Saharan Africa, which has driven economic growth and reduced poverty in other regions of the world.
Agriculture has not been a positive contributor to export trade. In 2005 the region switched from being a net exporter to being a net importer of farm products. Liser said that export diversification and further processing of agriculture products into higher-value exports could help improve food security in the region and boost trade growth.
Liser said that the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a U.S. trade law enacted in 2000 by the Clinton administration, is a tool that has helped to increase both the volume and diversity of U.S. trade with sub-Saharan Africa. Economists believe that striking a critical balance between trade volume and the diversity of the exports is essential to regional long-term economic development and growth.
U.S. total trade with sub-Saharan Africa, which includes both exports and imports, rose 28 percent in 2008 from the year before. The 8th Annual Forum for the African Growth and Opportunity Act will be held August 4–6 in Nairobi, Kenya, to further address economic partnership between the U.S. and Africa.
The role of first lady is arguably one of the most powerful and influential nonelected positions in the White House. But despite having a large staff, and the White House as her office, the first lady has no formal job description and the U.S. Constitution makes no mention of the role of the commander in chief’s spouse.
Presidential spouses have traditionally been expected to be the country’s social hostess, working to organize White House functions and diplomatic events. In recent years, however, first ladies have taken a more public role in developing policy and pursuing their own initiatives.
Michelle Obama is no exception. An accomplished lawyer, former hospital administrator and self-appointed “mom-in-chief,” Michelle Obama serves as a role model for many modern women trying to balance work and family life, as she works to move discussion beyond her wardrobe to engaging the American public on important issues.
Currently, Michelle Obama is encouraging Americans to give back through volunteerism. On June 22 in San Francisco she launched United We Serve, an initiative that she described as “a nationwide effort calling on all Americans to make service a part of their daily lives.”
She acknowledged the increasing demand for volunteerism during this time of economic recession, saying that this administration doesn’t view service as separate from national priorities, or in addition to national priorities. Rather it is the key to achieving national priorities. Establishing a new role for service, she said, is the only way to build a new foundation for the American economy.
Within one week of the initiative’s launch, the first lady has helped construct a school playground and pack 15,000 backpacks for the children of America’s service members to take with them to summer camp. The United We Serve program will run through the National Day of Service and Remembrance on September 11.
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