ments of section 112(b) of the African Growth and Oppor-
tunity Act, as amended by section 3108 of the Trade Act
of 2002 and this Act.
SEC. 9. DEVELOPMENT STUDY AND CAPACITY BUILDING.
(a) REPORTS.—The President shall, by not later than
1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, conduct
a study on each eligible sub-Saharan African country,
that—
(1) identifies sectors of the economy of that
country with the greatest potential for growth, in-
cluding through export sales;
(2) identifies barriers, both domestically and
internationally, that are impeding growth in such
sectors; and
(3) makes recommendations on how the United
States Government and the private sector can pro-
vide technical assistance to that country to assist in
dismantling such barriers and in promoting invest-
ment in such sectors.
(b) DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION.—The Presi-
dent shall disseminate information in each study con-
ducted under subsection (a) to the appropriate United
States agencies for the purpose of implementing rec-
ommendations on the provision of technical assistance and
in identifying opportunities for United States investors,
businesses, and farmers.
SEC. 10. ACTIVITIES IN SUPPORT OF INFRASTRUCTURE TO
SUPPORT INCREASING TRADE CAPACITY AND
ECOTOURISM.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following:
(1) Ecotourism, which consists of—
(A) responsible and sustainable travel and
visitation to relatively undisturbed natural areas
in order to enjoy and appreciate nature (and
any accompanying cultural features, both past
and present) and animals, including species
that are rare or endangered,
(B) promotion of conservation and provi-
sion for beneficial involvement of local popu-
lations, and
(C) visitation designed to have low negative
impact upon the environment,
is expected to expand 30 percent globally over the
next decade.
(2) Ecotourism will increase trade capacity by
sustaining otherwise unsustainable infrastructure,
such as road, port, water, energy, and telecommuni-
cation development.
(3) According to the United States Department
of State and the United Nations Environment Pro-
gramme, sustainable tourism, such as ecotourism,
can be an important part of the economic develop-
ment of a region, especially a region with natural
and cultural protected areas.
(4) Sub-Saharan Africa enjoys an international
comparative advantage in ecotourism because it fea-
tures extensive protected areas that host a variety of
ecosystems and traditional cultures that are major
attractions for nature-oriented tourism.
(5) National parks and reserves in sub-Saharan
Africa should be considered a basis for regional de-
velopment, involving communities living within and
adjacent to them and, given their strong inter-
national recognition, provide an advantage in
ecotourism marketing and promotion.
(6) Desert areas in sub-Saharan Africa rep-
resent complex ecotourism attractions, showcasing
natural, geological, and archaeological features, and
nomad and other cultures and traditions.
(7) Many natural zones in sub-Saharan Africa
cross the political borders of several countries; there-
fore, transboundary cooperation is fundamental for
all types of ecotourism development.
(8) The commercial viability of ecotourism is
enhanced when small and medium enterprises, par-
ticularly microenterprises, successfully engage with
the tourism industry in sub-Saharan Africa.
(9) Adequate capacity building is an essential
component of ecotourism development if local com-
munities are to be real stakeholders that can sustain
an equitable approach to ecotourism management.
(10) Ecotourism needs to generate local com-
munity benefits by utilizing sub-Saharan Africa’s
natural heritage, parks, wildlife reserves, and other
protected areas that can play a significant role in
encouraging local economic development by sourcing
food and other locally produced resources.
(b) ACTION
BY
THE PRESIDENT.—The President
shall develop and implement policies to—
(1) encourage the development of infrastructure
projects that will help to increase trade capacity and
a sustainable ecotourism industry in eligible sub-Sa-
haran African countries;
(2) encourage and facilitate transboundary co-
operation among sub-Saharan African countries in
order to facilitate trade;
(3) encourage the provision of technical assist-
ance to eligible sub-Saharan African countries to es-
tablish and sustain adequate trade capacity develop-
ment; and
(4) encourage micro-, small-, and medium-sized
enterprises in eligible sub-Saharan African countries
to participate in the ecotourism industry.
SEC. 11. ACTIVITIES IN SUPPORT OF TRANSPORTATION,
ENERGY, AGRICULTURE, AND TELECOMMUNI-
CATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE.
(a) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds the following:
(1) In order to increase exports from, and trade
among, eligible sub-Saharan African countries,
transportation systems in those countries must be
improved to increase transport efficiencies and lower
transport costs.
(2) Vibrant economic growth requires a devel-
oped telecommunication and energy infrastructure.
(3) Sub-Saharan Africa is rich in exportable ag-
ricultural goods, but development of this industry re-
mains stymied because of an underdeveloped infra-
structure.
(b) ACTION BY THE PRESIDENT.—In order to en-
hance trade with Africa and to bring the benefits of trade
to African countries, the President shall develop and im-
plement policies to encourage investment in eligible sub-
Saharan African countries, particularly with respect to the
following:
(1) Infrastructure projects that support, in par-
ticular, development of land transport road and rail-
road networks and ports, and the continued upgrad-
ing and liberalization of the energy and tele-
communications sectors.
(2) The establishment and expansion of modern
information and communication technologies and
practices to improve the ability of citizens to re-
search and disseminate information relating to,
among other things, the economy, education, trade,
health, agriculture, the environment, and the media.
(3) Agriculture, particularly in processing and
capacity enhancement.
SEC. 12. FACILITATION OF TRANSPORTATION.
In order to facilitate and increase trade flows between
eligible sub-Saharan African countries and the United
States, the President shall foster improved port-to-port
and airport-to-airport relationships. These relationships
should facilitate—
(1) increased coordination between customs
services at ports and airports in the United States
and such countries in order to reduce time in tran-
sit;
(2) interaction between customs and technical
staff from ports and airports in the United States
and such countries in order to increase efficiency
and safety procedures and protocols relating to
trade;
(3) coordination between chambers of com-
merce, freight forwarders, customs brokers, and oth-
ers involved in consolidating and moving freight; and
(4) trade through air service between airports
in the United States and such countries by increas-
ing frequency and capacity.
SEC. 13. AGRICULTURAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
(a) IDENTIFICATION OF COUNTRIES.—The President
shall identify not fewer than 10 eligible sub-Saharan Afri-
can countries as having the greatest potential to increase
marketable exports of agricultural products to the United
States and the greatest need for technical assistance, par-
ticularly with respect to pest risk assessments and com-
plying with sanitary and phytosanitary rules of the United
States.
(b) PERSONNEL.—The President shall assign at least
20 full-time personnel for the purpose of providing assist-
ance to the countries identified under subsection (a) to
ensure that exports of agricultural products from those
countries meet the requirements of United States law.
SEC. 14. TRADE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON AFRICA.
The President shall convene the trade advisory com-
mittee on Africa established by Executive Order 11846 of
March 27, 1975, under section 135(c) of the Trade Act
of 1974, in order to facilitate the goals and objectives of
the African Growth and Opportunity Act and this Act, and
to maintain ongoing discussions with African trade and
agriculture ministries and private sector organizations on
issues of mutual concern, including regional and inter-
national trade concerns and World Trade Organization
issues.
Passed the House of Representatives June 14, 2004.
Attest:
Clerk.