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POTUS 45The President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa

POTUS 45 Meeting of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa

Faumam2063

The Secretary of Commerce convened the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa Nov 29th 2017.

The varied, diverse and accomplished appointees of the 2016-2018 President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa include:

*Denotes reappointed PAC-DBIA member

PRESIDENT’S ADVISORY COUNCIL ON DOING BUSINESS IN AFRICA – CHARTER

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
CHARTER OF THE PRESIDENT’S ADVISORY COUNCIL ON DOING BUSINESS IN AFRICA

1. Committee’s Official Designation (Title). President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (Advisory Council).

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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:

(i) creating jobs in the United States and Africa through trade and investment;

(ii) developing strategies by which the U.S. private sector can identify and take advantage of trade and investment opportunities in Africa;

(iii) building lasting commercial partnerships between the U.S. and African private sectors;

(iv) facilitating U.S. business participation in Africa’s infrastructure development;

(v) 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;

(vi) making available to the U.S. private sector an accurate understanding of the opportunities presented for increasing trade with and investment in Africa;

(vii) developing and strengthening partnerships and other mechanisms to increase U.S. public and private sector financing of trade with and investment in Africa;

(viii) analyzing the effect of policies in the United States and Africa on U.S. trade and investment interests in Africa;

(ix) identifying other means to expand commercial ties between the United States and Africa and

(x) 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.

6.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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10.Duration.Continuing.

11. Termination. The Advisory Council will terminate on September 30, 2017, unless extended by the President.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.