The members of the 2022-2024 term of the PAC-DBIA are:
- ABD Group - John Nevergole, Chief Executive Officer
- Acrow - William (Bill) Killeen, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board
- American Tower Corporation - Olivier Puech, President and Executive Vice President, EMEA and Latin America
- Baylis Emerging Markets - Franklin Amoo, Founding and Managing Partner,
- Bechtel Overseas Corporation - Justin Siberell, Region President, Europe, Africa, and Middle East
- Caterpillar Inc. - Kathryn Karol, Vice President, Global Government and Corporate Affairs
- Cisco Systems, Inc. - Francine Katsoudas, Executive Vice President and Chief People, Policy, and Purpose Officer
- Citi - Peter Sullivan, Managing Director and Head of Public Sector for Africa
- Corvus Health - Kate Tulenko, Founder and Chief Executive Officer
- Credence ID - Bruce Hanson, President & Chief Executive Officer
- Deere & Company - Jason P.H. Brantley, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Asia and Africa, Agriculture & Turf Division
- Dow - Sami Mainich, Chair of Dow Africa Steering Committee; Managing Director, North & West Africa
- eleQtra Group - Gad Cohen, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder
- Energicity - Nicole Poindexter, Chief Executive Officer
- GE East Africa - Brenda Mbathi, President
- IBM - Takreem El-Tohamy, General Manager, Global Strategic Sales
- OSI Systems - Deepak Chopra, Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President
- Pfizer - Patrick Van Der Loo, Regional President for Africa and the Middle East
- RIFE International - Kwabena Osei-Sarpong, President and Chief Executive Officer
- Visa Inc. - Andrew Torre, President for Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa
- Varian - Chris Toth, Chief Executive Officer
- Yeleen Enterprises - Rahama Wright, Chief Executive Officer
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
CHARTER OF THE PRESIDENT’S ADVISORY COUNCIL ON DOING BUSINESS IN AFRICA
- Committee’s Official Designation (Title).
President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (Advisory Council).
- Executive Order 13675, dated August 5, 2014, as amended by Executive Order 13734, dated August 3, 2016.
The Advisory Council is currently operating under the authority given in Executive Order 13708, dated September 30, 2015. The Advisory Council is governed by provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA), Public Law 92-463, as amended (5 U.S.C. App.), which sets forth standards for the formation and use of advisory committees.
- Objectives and Scope of Activities.
Through the Secretary of Commerce (the Secretary), the Advisory Council shall advise the President on strengthening commercial engagement between the United States and Africa, with a focus on advancing the President’s Doing Business in Africa Campaign as described in the U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa of June 14, 2012.
- Description of Duties.
The Advisory Council shall provide information, analysis, and recommendations to the President that address the following, in addition to other topics deemed relevant by the President, the Secretary, or the Advisory Council:
- creating jobs in the United States and Africa through trade and investment;
- developing strategies by which the U.S. private sector can identify and take advantage of trade and investment opportunities in Africa;
- building lasting commercial partnerships between the U.S. and African private sectors;
- facilitating U.S. business participation in Africa’s infrastructure development;
- contributing to the growth and improvement of Africa’s agricultural sector by encouraging partnerships between U.S. and African companies to bring innovative agricultural technologies to Africa;
- making available to the U.S. private sector an accurate understanding of the opportunities presented for increasing trade with and investment in Africa;
- developing and strengthening partnerships and other mechanisms to increase U.S. public and private sector financing of trade with and investment in Africa;
- analyzing the effect of policies in the United States and Africa on U.S. trade and investment interests in Africa;
- identifying other means to expand commercial ties between the United States and Africa and
- building the capacity of Africa’s young entrepreneurs to develop trade and investment ties with U.S. partners.
The Advisory Council shall function as an advisory committee in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (5 U.S.C. App.).
Agency or Official to Whom the Committee Reports. The Advisory Council will report to the President, through the Secretary. The Secretary shall be responsible for filings and other applicable statutory requirements of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, and is responsible for ensuring the reporting requirements of 6(b) of the Act are appropriately fulfilled.
Support the International Trade Administration (ITA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce shall provide administrative and staff services, support, and facilities for the Advisory Council as necessary and to the extent permitted by law.
- Estimated Annual Operating Costs and Staff Years.
The estimated annual operating cost of the Advisory Council is approximately $167,000 which includes 1.3 person years of staff support. Members of the Advisory Council will not be compensated for their services or reimbursed for travel expenses.
- Designated Federal Officer.
The Under Secretary for International Trade (Under Secretary), U.S. Department of Commerce, shall serve as the Executive Director for the Advisory Council. The Under Secretary shall designate an Executive Secretary, responsible for coordinating administrative and staff services, support and facilities for the Advisory Council and its subcommittees, from among the employees of the International Trade Administration. The Executive Secretary shall serve as the Designated Federal Officer (DFO). The DFO shall approve or call all of the Advisory Council’s meetings and, when applicable, Advisory Council subcommittee meetings, prepare and approve all meeting agendas, attend all Advisory Council meetings, adjourn any meeting when the DFO determines adjournment to be in the public interest, and chair meetings when directed to do so by the Secretary.
- Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings.
The Advisory Council shall meet semi-annually; however, additional meetings may be called at the discretion of the Secretary with the concurrence of the Chair of the Advisory Council. Meeting dates and meeting agendas of the full committee shall be approved by the Executive Secretary with the concurrence of the Executive Director, the Secretary, and the Chair. Meeting dates and meeting agendas of the subcommittees shall be approved by the Executive Secretary with the concurrence of the Chair of the subcommittee. Meetings will take place in Washington, D.C., or elsewhere in the United States, or be held via teleconference.
- Duration.
Continuing.
- Termination.
The Advisory Council will terminate on September 30, 2017, unless extended by the President.
- Membership and Designation.
Executive Order 13734 of August 3, 2016, provides that Advisory Council membership shall consist of not more than 26 private sector corporate members representing U.S. companies, including small businesses and representatives from infrastructure, agriculture, consumer goods, banking, services, and other industries.
The Advisory Council shall be broadly representative of the key industries with business interests in the functions of the Advisory Council as set forth above. Appointments to the Advisory Council shall be made without regard to political affiliation.
Members of the Advisory Council shall be appointed by the Secretary, in consultation with the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee (TPCC), which was authorized by statute in 1992 (15 U.S.C. 4727) and established by Executive Order 12870 of September 30, 1993.
Members will be selected, in accordance with applicable Department of Commerce guidelines, based on their ability to carry out the objectives of the Advisory Council as set forth above and in a manner that ensures that the Advisory Council is balanced in terms of points of view, industry sector, demographics, geography, and company size.
Members serve in a representative capacity, representing the views and interests of their particular industry sector, and not as Special Government employees.
Members shall be appointed for a term of two years and will serve at the pleasure of the Secretary. The Secretary may at his/her discretion reappoint any member to an additional term or terms, provided that the member proves to work effectively on the Advisory Council and his/her knowledge and advice are still needed.
The Secretary shall designate a Chair and Vice Chair from among the members of the Advisory Council.
- Subcommittees.
The Executive Secretary (who serves as the DFO) may establish subcommittees of the Advisory Council such as an executive committee and working groups. The subcommittees will report back to the parent committee. Executive Secretary considers necessary for the performance of the Advisory Council’s functions subject to the provisions of FACA, the FACA implementing regulations, and applicable Department of Commerce guidance. Members of the subcommittees shall be appointed by the Executive Secretary, in consultation with the Executive Director and the Advisory Council Chair. The Chair of each subcommittee shall be designated, with the concurrence of the Executive Secretary, by the Advisory Council Chair from among the members of the Advisory Council appointed to that subcommittee. One or more Vice Chairs of each subcommittee may be designated by the Advisory Council Chair with the concurrence of the Chair of the subcommittee.
- Recordkeeping.
The records of the Advisory Council, formally and informally established subcommittees, or other subgroups of the committee shall be handled in accordance with General Records Schedule 6.2 or other approved agency records disposition schedule. These records shall be available for public inspection and copying, subject to the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 552.
2022 - 2024 Term
UPCOMING: Thursday, April 13, 2023 (time to be determined)
The first meeting of the fourth term of the PAC-DBIA will take place in Washington, DC. The PAC-DBIA will meet with Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves, and a range of other senior officials from U.S. government agencies to present, deliberate, and adopt a new set of recommendations to the President on strengthening U.S. commercial relations in Africa. These recommendations are intended to inform U.S. government policies and programs to that sustain and deepen trade and investment engagement across Africa following the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit and Business Forum hosted by the Biden Administration in December 2022.
This meeting will be live-streamed for public observation. The live-streaming link will be posted here prior to the meeting. In advance of the meeting, members of the public are invited to submit comments for PAC-DBIA consideration by email to dbia@trade.gov. Statements will be provided to PAC-DBIA members for consideration and may be posted on this website (http://trade.gov/pac-dbia). Any business proprietary information should be clearly designated as such. All statements received, including attachments and other supporting materials, are part of the public record and subject to public disclosure.
2019 - 2021 Term
July 28, 2020 Meeting of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA)
On Tuesday, July 28, 2020, the PAC-DBIA held a meeting, via teleconference, with Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and senior officials from the U.S. Government to deliberate and adopt recommendations on the implementation of the President’s Prosper Africa initiative, as well as a letter of support to the President for the recently launched negotiations of a Free Trade Agreement between the United States and Kenya.
The PAC-DBIA’s recommendations for Prosper Africa are divided into two sets. The first set is directed at the Prosper Africa Roadmap, a foundational document being developed to outline viable means of achieving the goals of Prosper Africa. The second set consists of recommendations applied to Prosper Africa’s three Lines of Effort: 1. Modernize U.S. capabilities and efforts; 2. Facilitate transactions; and 3. Foster fair and accessible business climates and robust financial sectors. These recommendations are organized according to the PAC-DBIA’s six Issue Working Groups that the Council established internally to focus member expertise on technical matters relating to: Finance, Technology and Digital Economy, Public Procurement, Workforce Development, Trade Facilitation and Physical Connectivity, and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Women Entrepreneurs.
The PAC-DBIA’s letter regarding negotiations of a Free Trade Agreement between the United States and Kenya states the Council’s support for the negotiations, suggests priorities and goals for the negotiations, and offers the active support of the Council for the efforts.
February 26, 2020 Meeting of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa
The President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA) held its second meeting of the current Council term on Wednesday, February 26, 2020. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Karen Dunn Kelley, on behalf of Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, chaired the meeting for the U.S. Government, which included representatives from 10 different agencies, plus the newly established Prosper Africa Secretariat. PAC-DBIA Members deliberated and adopted a report called, “Keys to Success,” a compilation of the collective insights from the Council on best practices U.S. companies should consider in order to approach, compete, succeed, and invest in African markets. The Council also adopted a letter to the President that outlines new initiative areas that Members would like to prioritize in their work over the course of the current term. The letter also sets forth two recommendations for action by the U.S. Government to optimize the impact of Prosper Africa initiative, including the organization of high-level U.S. Government engagements with African Heads of State and conducting a PAC-DBIA fact-finding trip to two African countries in 2020.
August 20, 2019 Tasking of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA)
On Tuesday, August 20, 2019, Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, having appointed 26 members to a new term of the PAC-DBIA in June 2019, convened the Council via teleconference to welcome the new term and provide direction for the Council’s work, on behalf of the President. Secretary Ross asked the Council to direct its efforts on providing analysis and recommendations that would inform the U.S. Government’s implementation of Prosper Africa, the Administration’s initiative to increase two-way trade and investment between the United States and Africa. The PAC-DBIA was also tasked with producing a report on “keys to success” for doing business in Africa as a resource for U.S. companies considering expanding their business into African markets for the first time.
2016 - 2018 Term
September 26, 2018 Meeting of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa
The President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA) held a meeting on Wednesday, September 26, 2018 with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross and 13 other U.S. Government officials to deliberate and adopt the final report of the 2016-2018 term of the PAC-DBIA. The report consists of:
- A summary of the 2018 fact-finding trip undertaken by PAC-DBIA members and U.S. Government officials, including highlights and key takeaways from visits Ethiopia, Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana.
- 22 new recommendations to the President on measures the U.S. Government might take to strengthen commercial ties with Africa.
The PAC-DBIA’s recommendations span the following key areas: (1) Financing, (2) Public Procurement, (3) Trade Facilitation, (4) Global Value Chains, (5) Technology and Digital Economy, (6) Workforce Development, (7) MOU Implementation.
April 18, 2018 Meeting of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa
The President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa held a meeting on Wednesday, April 18, 2018 to deliberate and adopt a set of recommendations to the President on measures the U.S. Government might take to strengthen the U.S. commercial relationship with Ethiopia, Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana. These are four countries that the Council identified as holding significant opportunities for U.S. companies to do business. The Council’s recommendations identify targeted approaches to mitigate obstacles previously identified in the Council’s Issues Report from November 29, 2017. The recommendations include: In Ethiopia: (1) Government-to-Government MOU to increase U.S. private investment and commercial participation in key sectors. (2) USTDA Global Procurement Initiative (GPI) program follow-through. In Kenya: (1) Enhanced bilateral trade engagement. (2) USTDA Global Procurement Initiative (GPI) program. (3) Regional U.S.-Africa skills development pilot program. In Côte d’Ivoire: (1) Improved identification and publication of AfDB market intelligence. (2) USTDA partnership with AfDB to strengthen regional procurements through GPI. In Ghana: (1) SEC-led technical assistance for Ghana’s Securities and Exchange Commission. (2) Modernized customs facilities, systems, and processes. (3) Government-to-Government MOU to increase U.S. private investment and commercial participation in key sectors.
November 29, 2017 Meeting of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa
The President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa held a meeting on Wednesday, November 29, 2017. The Council deliberated and adopted a report outlining the top issues that keep American companies from approaching African markets, competing successfully in African markets, and operating effectively and efficiently in African markets. Three Council identified three issues in each category. In the Approaching category, the issues are: Risk (Perceived vs. Actual), Underdeveloped Capital Markets, and Market Size & Demand for U.S. Business. The issues in the Competing category are: Whole-of-Government Approaches That Enable Foreign Competitors, Local Content Requirements, and Public Procurement Process & Specifications. And in the Operating category, the issues are a Lack of a Skilled Local Workforce, Currency Volatility & Lack of Access to U.S. Dollars, and Trade Facilitation and Transportation Infrastructure. For the Council’s next phase of work, the Secretary of Commerce tasked them with developing a report of recommendations, a compilation of best practices among Council members, and a proposed itinerary for a fact-finding trip to Africa in 2018.
August 22, 2017 Meeting of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa
The Secretary of Commerce convened the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa on Tuesday, August 22, via teleconference. During the call, the Secretary provided feedback on the Council’s introductory letter to the President that was submitted February 28, 2017, and he provided formal tasking to the Council for its next phase of analysis and recommendations requested by the Administration.
February 28, 2017 Meeting of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa
The President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa held the first meeting of its 2016-2018 term on February 28, 2017. The Council deliberated and adopted a letter to the President on the importance of Africa in achieving the President’s goal of expanding U.S. exports and priorities on which the Council would like to provide recommendations.
PAST
~ Leveraging Private Sector Leadership in a New Era of U.S.-Africa Commercial Partnership: Views from Members of the PAC-DBIA ~
Friday, December 9, 2022 / 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM EDT
In advance of the Biden Administration’s U.S.-Africa Business Forum on December 14, 2022, members of the fourth term of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA) previewed private sector priorities that will drive PAC-DBIA recommendations to President Biden in 2023. Sectors addressed included financing, infrastructure, energy/climate technology, digital economy, healthcare, agribusiness, and food/water security.
~ Keys to Success for Doing Business in Africa Webinar: Technology and the Digital Economy: Lessons Learned from Members of the PAC-DBIA ~
Wednesday, March 24, 2021 / 11:00 AM - 12:30 AM EDT
This webinar was part of a series focusing on key industries and featuring members of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA), who presented practical lessons learned entering and expanding their business in African markets, illustrating insights featured in the PAC-DBIA’s 2020 “Keys to Success” report.
Click here to download the PAC-DBIA’s Keys to Success Report
~ Women’s History Month Webinar: Enabling Women Entrepreneurs in U.S.-African Trade and Investment ~
Wednesday, March 31, 2021 / 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM EDT
This event brought together female entrepreneurs, including members of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA), and senior officials from the United States and Africa to discuss policies and programs that should be developed or strengthened to address the constraints women-owned businesses face in international trade. The conversation included practical insights from successful U.S. and African women entrepreneurs who will share their “keys to success” for doing business.
Click here to download the PAC-DBIA’s Keys to Success Report
~ Keys to Success for Doing Business in Africa Webinar: Agricultural and Industrial Machinery: Lessons Learned from Members of the PAC-DBIA ~
Wednesday, April 7, 2021 / 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM EDT
This webinar was part of a series focusing on key industries and featuring members of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA), who presented practical lessons learned entering and expanding their business in African markets, illustrating insights featured in the PAC-DBIA’s 2020 “Keys to Success” report.
Click here to download the PAC-DBIA’s Keys to Success Report
