InOctober,theUnitedStatesAgencyforInternationalDevelopment,orUSAID,andtheCommonMarketforEasternandSouthernAfrica,orCOMESA,launchedafive-yearRegionalDevelopmentObjectivesGrantAgreementatthe19thCOMESASummit,heldthisyearinMadagascar.Theagreement,announcedinNairobi,Kenya,providesforUSAIDtocontributeapproximately$77milliondollarstostrengthenthecollaborativepartnershipbetweenthetwoorganizationsandimplementregionaltrade,investment,andagriculturedevelopmentprogramsthatcontributetotheircommongoals.
U.S.AmbassadortoZambiaandSpecialRepresentativetoCOMESAEricSchultz,USAIDDeputyMissionDirectorforKenyaandEastAfricaCandaceBuzzard,andtheCOMESASecretaryGeneralAmbassadorSindisoNgwenyasignedamemorandumofunderstandingtoaffirmtheagreement.
AmbassadorSchultzpointedtothecontinuedmomentumtowardachievingcommoneconomicdevelopmentgoalsbyrenewingthepartnership.“Througheconomicdiversification,attractingmoreforeigninvestment,andreducingexistingtradebarriers,wecanbuilduponoursuccessestodate.IamconfidentthatthenewAgreementwillhelpusbolstergrowthandunlockeconomicpotentialamongtheCOMESAmemberstates.”
Underthisagreement,COMESAandUSAIDwillworktogethertoachieveshareddevelopmentprioritiestopromotesustainableregionaleconomicintegration;reinforceinstitutionalgovernanceandaccountabilitybysupportingthecoordinationofregionaltrade,investment,andagriculturalpolicies;andstrengthenCOMESA'sorganizationalleadership.
ThenewagreementisnotthefirstforUSAIDandCOMESA,aregionaleconomiccommunityundertheAfricanUnionwith19memberstates.Theyhavepartneredsince2003tocreatesustainableandintegratedmarkets,increasetheproductivityofstaplecropsandfarmproductivity,promotetradeandreducetradebarriersinregionalmarkets,andsupportthefreemovementofgoodsandservicesintheregion.Underapreviousagreement,USAIDprovided$115milliondollarstosupporttheorganizationindeliveringitsmandate.
TheUnitedStatesisproudtoworkwithitspartner,COMESA,topromotetheprosperityofAfricaandtheworld.