STRENGTHENING COMMERCIAL TIES TO SENEGAL AND MOROCCO

STRENGTHENING COMMERCIAL TIES GOAL OF SAMPSON VISIT TO SENEGAL AND MOROCCO

Washington, D.C. – On the heels of the G-8 Summit, U.S. Commerce Acting Deputy Secretary David Sampson will travel to Dakar, Senegal, July 18-19, and to Casablanca and Rabat, Morocco, July 20-22.

“The people of Africa deserve the peace and freedom and opportunity that are the natural rights of all mankind. I look forward to working with African leaders to achieve these goals,” Sampson said. “The whole world will benefit from prosperity and stability on the African continent,” he added.

“By overcoming poverty while using new technologies that deliver clean and efficient energy, Africa will also benefit from stronger economies and better public health,” he went on to say.

During his trip, which includes visits to a clean-coal power plant and a climate change remote sensing station in Morocco, Sampson will highlight progress on political and economic reform. He will also underscore the Bush administration’s commitment to democracy, free markets, a cleaner environment, and investment in health and education for the people of Africa.

Over the past four years the United States has tripled overseas development aid to Africa. President Bush recently proposed to double aid to Africa through 2010, with a primary focus on helping reforming countries.

Senegal

In Dakar, Sampson will participate in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum, speaking to plenary sessions on developing a broader market for American goods, strengthening protection of intellectual property rights and realizing commercial energy partnerships. He will also hold bilateral meetings with African leaders and officially open the first U.S. Commerce Department Commercial Service Office in Senegal. He will also spotlight U.S. corporate stewardship in a visit to Fann Hospital, where Pfizer is a contributing partner in the fight to stop the spread of HIV infection and to help ease the health burdens of those infected by the virus.

Morocco

Sampson will then travel to Casablanca and Rabat to meet with top government officials. In those meetings, he will underscore the importance of implementing the U.S.-Morocco Free Trade Agreement and urge Moroccan leaders to deter widespread infringement of intellectual property rights. He will also spotlight two U.S. and G-8 priorities: clean coal technology, and science and technology in general. Sampson will visit a U.S. company, CMS Energy, the largest independent power producer in Africa which satisfies nearly two-thirds of Morocco’s base-load electricity demand. He will also visit the Royal Remote Sensing Center, the national institution responsible for promoting the use and development of remote sensing applications in Morocco. The Center is a partner in a larger U.S.-led effort to establish an integrated global earth observation system.

Clean Energy Background

In the last three years, the United States has launched a series of initiatives to help developing countries adopt new energy sources, from cleaner coal technology and hydrogen vehicles, to solar and wind power, and to the production of clean-burning methane and less-polluting power plants.

“The United States and its allies in the G-8 have recognized the importance of developing cleaner, more secure energy supplies and healthy environments where people work, live and play,” said Sampson. “We will continue to look for new ways to deepen our partnerships with developing nations. The whole world benefits when developing nations have the best and latest energy technologies,” he concluded.

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Source: commerce.gov/ For more information on AGOA. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, July 13, 2005

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