Kansas businesses interested in trade opportunities with Africa are invited to the ninth annual United States-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum on Aug. 5-6 at the Marriott in Kansas City, Mo.

 Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, this forum facilitates trade and economic discussions between Sub-Saharan African countries and U.S. businesses. The forum will provide attendees an opportunity to discuss trade and capacity-building opportunities with African decision-makers. The two-day agenda includes workshops, roundtable discussion and face-to-face networking with African ministers and businesses leaders.

 This year’s forum will highlight the U.S. private sector in the American heartland, with an emphasis on expanding agri-business linkages between Africa and U.S. business.

 The two-day event in Kansas City is the second leg of the United States-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum, which kicks off Aug. 2-3 in Washington, D.C. This is the first time that any portion of the forum will take place outside Washington.

 “I would strongly encourage Kansas business leaders interested in foreign trade to attend the United States-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum,” said Kansas Department of Commerce Secretary Bill Thornton. “The fact that the U.S. State Department has moved a portion of the forum outside Washington for the first time and selected Kansas City as the host speaks volumes about Midwestern businesses and their export potential. This is a great opportunity for Kansas businesses to explore new export markets and investment opportunities.”

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For details and to register for the conference, visit www.agoa.gov. Requests to meet with specific African business leaders can be made in advance by contacting Rebekah Gould at GouldRS@state.gov or Christopher Ausdenmoore at AusdenmooreCM@state.gov.

The United States-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum is mandated by the federal African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) of 2000. The Act offers incentives for African countries to continue their efforts to open their economies and build free markets.

In 2009, Kansas businesses totaled $500 million in sales to Africa, which was 6 percent of Kansas’ total global exports. Key exports were aircraft, cereal, meats and industrial equipment.

For more information, contact Joe Monaco, Public Information Officer with the Kansas Department of Commerce, at (785) 296-3760 or jmonaco@kansasommerce.com.