His Excellency the Minister of Commerce and Industry
Mister Delegate General for the Promotion of Private Investment
Honorable Invitees

It is a great honor and a true pleasure for me to be here with you for the opening of this workshop on “Maximizing the Advantages of AGOA.”  As you know, AGOA is a U.S. law which is intended to promote growth and development in Africa and to accelerate the integration of African economies in the global trade system by making the most of the opportunities that this continent has to offer.  AGOA is intended to create a structure which is favorable to promoting closer relationships between the governments of eligible countries and the Government of the United States of America as well as between private sectors and civil societies in order to promote trade and develop business relations.

In effect, the United States is engaged in promoting trade with Africa not only to increase the volume of its exports toward the continent, but also to increase the volume of exports from Africa to the United States.  We think that that increase in exports from African countries to the United States is an important factor in promoting development.  AGOA is advancing us in this direction by facilitating the introduction of products from eligible countries into the U.S. market free of customs and duties.

Mauritania is eligible for AGOA and as a result, I hope that the Mauritanian people in general and businessmen and women in particular will make the most of what AGOA offers.  During this workshop, experts will focus on several themes relative to:

-  Business Climate in Mauritania and Obstacles to Exports
-  Strategies for Mauritania to Benefit from AGOA
-  Promotion and Development of Exports to the United States
-  Development of Sustainable Fisheries
-  Financing of Exports in Mauritania

Before closing, please allow me to thank you for responding so resoundingly to our invitation to participate in this workshop.  This is also an occasion for me to sincerely thank the Ministry of Commerce and Industry as well as the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and the United States Agency for International Development West Africa Trade Hub (USAID – WATH) for their contributions in organizing this workshop.

Finally, I wish you great success for this workshop.

Thank you.