Leaders Summit convenes August 4-6, four countries not included

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President Obama will welcome leaders from across the African continent to the U.S. Capital for a three-day U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, the first such event of its kind.

It has been reported by newspaper AllAfrica that leaders from Zimbabwe, Egypt, Sudan, and Madagascar have not been invited, all which have U.S. sanctions in place.

This Summit, the largest event any U.S. President has held with African heads of state and government, will build on the President’s trip to Africa in the summer of 2013 and it will strengthen ties between the United States and one of the world’s most dynamic and fastest growing regions.

The August 4-6 Summit will advance the Administration’s focus on trade and investment in Africa and highlight America’s commitment to Africa’s security, its democratic development, and its people.

The theme of the Summit is "Investing in the Next Generation." Focusing on the next generation is at the core of a government’s responsibility and work, and this Summit is an opportunity to discuss ways of stimulating growth, unlocking opportunities, and creating an enabling environment for the next generation.

Event topics will include:

            Faith Works: Honoring Contributions of Faith Community to Peace    and Prosperity in Africa

The “Faith Works: Honoring the Contributions of the Faith Community to Peace and Prosperity in Africa” Signature Event will be the first official event of the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit and will take place on the morning of August 1. The session will bring together a diverse cross-section of religious leaders and faith-based organizations, U.S. Government officials, and African leaders to recognize the significant role the faith community plays in advancing peace, prosperity, and development throughout Africa. The event is also an opportunity for the faith community to provide input into the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. Across Africa, faith-based organizations have helped to lift up vulnerable populations and contribute to improving lives. From building peace and promoting human rights, to improving agriculture, from boosting literacy rates, to providing urgently needed relief and assistance in the most dangerous places, the faith community is helping to invest in the next generation.

Civil Society Forum

The "Civil Society Forum" Signature Event will be convened on the morning of August 4 by Secretary of State Kerry and will bring together U.S. and African government leaders, members of African and U.S. civil society and the diaspora, and private sector leaders. The Forum will focus on leveraging the knowledge and experience of citizens and civil society to solve the key challenges of our time, and will highlight the importance of civic space to social entrepreneurship, civic innovation and development. The Forum will also highlight the importance of safeguarding civic space in order to spur social entrepreneurship, civic innovation, and development. The Forum will consist of three components: a set of thematic breakout sessions on key issues, including governance and transparency, trade and investment, and labor issues; a keynote address; and a Global Town Hall with African Leaders moderated by Secretary Kerry. In addition, interested parties will also have the opportunity to submit short video questions via YouTube and Twitter in advance of the Forum.

Investing in Women, Peace, and Prosperity

The "Investing in Women, Peace, and Prosperity" Signature Event will recognize that African women’s leadership and meaningful participation at all levels — in government, the economy, and civil society — accelerates economic development, improves health and educational indicators, advances democratic development, and improves the safety and security of all of their citizens. The discussion will underscore the importance of supporting African women’s leadership and meaningful participation across all sectors of society. It will specifically highlight promising practices and reinforce U.S.-African partnerships in expanding economic opportunity for women, promoting civic and political leadership for women and girls, and increasing women’s meaningful roles in conflict prevention, peace-building, and security decision-making.

Investing in Health: Investing in Africa's Future

The "Investing in Health: Investing in Africa’s Future" Signature Event will bring together senior U.S. government officials, African leaders, Ministers of Health, and senior health policy makers who will envision the future of U.S.-African global health partnerships in achieving global health security, promoting science and health, reaching an AIDS-free generation, and ending preventable child and maternal deaths.

This discussion will highlight the decades-long U.S.-African health partnership that has saved and improved millions of lives. It will also be an opportunity for U.S. and African leaders to agree on how we can further advance our shared health and development goals through our strong partnerships.

Resilience and Food Security in a Changing Climate

The "Resilience and Food Security in a Changing Climate" Signature Event will highlight three critical and interrelated areas in the U.S-Africa relationship: food security, climate change, and resilience. These issues are of particular concern for African nations, where the majority of rural populations rely on rain-fed agriculture. More productive agricultural systems will help transform lives, communities, and nations by generating income and by freeing resources for rural populations to participate in additional sectors of the economy. However, progress in this regard is threatened by the worsening impacts of climate change, including more frequent and extreme weather events and their negative impacts on agriculture and other rural livelihoods. Climate shocks, as well as shocks caused by other environmental, social and economic disturbances, undercut household and community stability and resilience, and erode hard-won development gains. The event will highlight how climate change and variability are impacting food security in Africa, and how key U.S. initiatives align with the commitments of African leaders to bolster the resilience of people, households, communities and systems.

Combating Wildlife Trafficking

The "Combating Wildlife Trafficking" Signature Event will be an opportunity for African leaders to join together and share their ideas on how to best counter the poaching threat and inspire African youth to safeguard their natural heritage for future generations. The United States seeks African perspectives on wildlife trafficking, poaching, and protection of natural resources to inform future efforts in this arena. By including Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Fellows in the event, we hope to mobilize the next generation of African leaders in wildlife conservation through national, regional, and community-based solutions.

Wildlife trafficking is a multi-billion dollar criminal enterprise that is a critical conservation concern and global security threat. This past February, President Obama approved a new National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking that underscores the United States' commitment to help stem this illegal trade that is decimating species and undermining security across nations. Intended participants are members of African delegations, YALI fellows, officials from United States Government Task Force agencies and departments, NGOs, and the U.S. Congress.

AGOA Forum