H. Res. 699 
In the House of Representatives, U. S., 
August 1, 2014. 
Whereas the people of Africa share the hopes and aspirations 
of the people of the United States for peace and pros-
perity, and are both committed to strengthening eco-
nomic relations; 
Whereas it is in the national interest of the United States to 
support the reduction of poverty in the continent of Afri-
ca; 
Whereas greater opportunities for mutually beneficial trade 
and investments promote economic growth, development, 
poverty reduction, democracy, the rule of law, and sta-
bility; 
Whereas the countries in Africa are important economic part-
ners of the United States; 
Whereas Africa has today 6 of the 10 fastest growing econo-
mies in the world, over 1 billion people, 60 percent of the 
world’s uncultivated agricultural land, and expanding de-
mocracies; 
Whereas Africa is rich through the youth of its population, 
enjoying a demographic advantage over all other regions 
of the world, and is likely to replace the People’s Repub-
lic of China as the biggest contributor to the global work-
force by 2050;
•HRES 699 EH 
Whereas it is in the economic interest of the United States 
to engage and compete in emerging African markets, 
boost United States-Africa trade and investment, support 
greater capacity building for Africa, and invest in Afri-
ca’s youth and leadership development; 
Whereas in 2000 the Congress passed the African Growth 
and Opportunity Act (AGOA), with broad bipartisan sup-
port and with a view to expanding growth and oppor-
tunity in Africa; 
Whereas in the original AGOA legislation, Congress encour-
aged the establishment of more regular high-level dia-
logues, including regular meetings by the President with 
his African counterparts; 
Whereas exports from sub-Saharan Africa to the United 
States under AGOA have increased over three-fold from 
$7.6 billion in 2001 to $24.8 billion in 2013; 
Whereas United States exports to sub-Saharan Africa have 
increased from $6.9 billion to $23.9 billion and United 
States investment in sub-Saharan Africa has increased 
six-fold; 
Whereas per capita income in sub-Saharan Africa has more 
than tripled to $1,624 annually since Congress first 
passed AGOA, yet nearly half the population in sub-Sa-
haran Africa lives in poverty; 
Whereas regional integration should be strengthened to boost 
economic growth in Africa, and elimination of barriers to 
trade and investment in Africa, such as high tariffs, 
forced localization requirements, restrictions on invest-
ment, and customs barriers, among others, will strength-
en and improve regional and global integration;
•HRES 699 EH 
Whereas it remains the goal of United States policy to sup-
port the diversification of sub-Saharan exports in terms 
of products and countries that utilize AGOA; 
Whereas the members of the World Trade Organization 
adopted several important Decisions and Declarations in 
Bali, Indonesia, in December 2013, including the Agree-
ment on Trade Facilitation and specific results on agri-
culture and development, with the protocol of amendment 
for the Agreement on Trade Facilitation to be adopted on 
July 31, 2014; 
Whereas full implementation by our trading partners of the 
Agreement on Trade Facilitation will help to address 
supply-side constraints in Africa, promote regional inte-
gration on the continent, and facilitate integration into 
global supply chains; 
Whereas on June 30, 2013, in Cape Town, South Africa, 
President Barack Obama announced the Power Africa 
Initiative, to double the number of people with access to 
power in Sub-Saharan Africa; 
Whereas on May 8, 2014, the House of Representatives 
passed the Electrify Africa Act, to make it a national pol-
icy of the United States to support the electrification of 
sub-Saharan Africa, and to direct United States agencies 
to devote resources to facilitate and support the imple-
mentation of this initiative; and 
Whereas the first United States-Africa Leaders’ Summit and 
the 13th African Growth and Opportunity Act Forum 
will be held in Washington, DC, this summer: Now, 
therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
•HRES 699 EH 
(1) is studying ways to improve the effectiveness 
and utilization of the range of United States trade policy 
tools with respect to Africa, including AGOA, and ex-
ploring how Africa can address barriers to become more 
attractive to trade and investment within Africa as well 
as globally; and 
(2) looks forward to continuing to work with Afri-
can leaders to improve our economic and bilateral rela-
tionships. 
Attest: 
Clerk.