[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 37, Number 20 (Monday, May 21, 2001)]
[Pages 752-754]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Announcing the United States-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and 
Economic Cooperation Forum

May 16, 2001

    The President. Thank you all. Please be seated. Welcome to the Rose 
Garden. It's my honor to share the podium with Representatives Crane and 
Rangel and our friend from Senegal, Ambassador Seck. Thank you very much 
for being here, sir. I'm so appreciative that our Secretary of State, 
Colin Powell, has joined us today--Secretary, thank you for being here--
and our Secretary of Treasury, Paul O'Neill. They're here for a reason. 
They're here because they strongly support the initiative about which we 
are about to speak.
    I'm thankful that many Members of the United States Congress are 
here, Members who worked on this initiative long before I came. I 
appreciate you all being here. I look forward to working with you to do 
the right

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thing for our friends on the continent of Africa. I also want to thank 
many members of the diplomatic corps who are here. We're so grateful 
that you took time out of your day to come and share in this moment.
    I finally want to thank Hakeem ``The Dream'' Olajuwon for being here 
today. He is--I know this isn't the moment to herald Texas sports--
[laughter]--but thank you for many great moments.
    There is good news coming out of the sub-Saharan Africa. Democracy 
is emerging in countries like Ghana and Nigeria and showing enduring 
strength in Senegal, Botswana, and South Africa. Free market reforms are 
delivering real benefits to people in places like Mozambique and 
Madagascar and Mali. We Americans want to be more than spectators of 
Africa's progress. We want to encourage a brighter future through 
policies that nurture and support freedom and democratic reform.
    And that's why Congress passed the African Growth and Opportunity 
Act. There is now a broad consensus that open trade and international 
investment are the surest and fastest way for Africa to make progress. 
The act opens American markets to countries that have embarked on the 
difficult but beneficial path of political and economic reform.
    These are countries that are moving toward market-based economies 
and the rule of law, that are lowering trade barriers and strengthening 
their commercial law, that are combating corruption and eliminating 
child labor, and that are showing enhanced respect for labor standards 
and human rights.
    Thirty-five sub-Saharan African nations are eligible under AGOA for 
their commitment to these principles. The principles in the African 
Growth and Opportunity Act are important for Africa, but they're also 
important for the United States. Countries that respect markets and the 
rights of the individual are more likely to grow economically. They are 
more likely to achieve political stability. They can raise education 
standards, deliver better health care, and protect their environment. 
Strong African democracies with strong economies and healthy populations 
will contribute to a world that is more peaceful and more prosperous for 
all.
    Now, we should take the next step to realize the promise of the 
African Growth and Opportunity Act. This October the United States will 
invite the eligible countries to Washington to inaugurate the U.S.-Sub-
Saharan African Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum. The Forum will 
discuss further measures we can take to stimulate trade, to develop 
prosperity, and to enhance democracy.
    I'm today asking and directing the Secretary of State, the Secretary 
of Treasury, the Commerce Secretary, and the U.S. Trade Representative 
to issue invitations to the Forum, to their ministerial counterparts. 
Secretary Powell may just deliver some of those invitations in person 
when he travels to the continent later on this year. The United States 
will also invite representatives of African regional organizations to 
this Forum. I hope I get to attend, as well.
    Sub-Saharan Africa has suffered much from political oppression and 
inward-looking economic policies. Africans, themselves, now agree that 
democracy and open trade are the right way forward. The United States 
wants to engage sub-Saharan African countries as valued economic 
partners. And we look forward to welcoming sub-Saharan African leaders 
as our guests next fall.
    Thank you all for coming. And it's now my honor to bring to the 
podium Phil Crane, Congressman from Illinois.

[At this point, Representatives Philip M. Crane and Charles B. Rangel 
and Senegalese Ambassador to the U.S. Mamadou Seck made brief remarks.]

    The President. Again, I want to thank you all for coming. It is our 
honor to host many from the diplomatic corps. Welcome to the White 
House. We look forward to working with you. It's in our best interest 
that your great continent thrive, and we look forward to working with 
you to make sure it does so.
    God bless. Thank you guys for coming.

Note: The President spoke at 9:55 a.m. in the Rose Garden at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to professional basketball player 
Hakeem Olajuwon. The U.S.-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic 
Cooperation Forum was established by Section 105 of Title I of the Trade

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and Development Act of 2000 (Public Law No. 106-200).