Today kicks off the Biden White House hosting leaders from Africa for the U.S.-Africa Leaders’ Summit. Officials from the region want an extension of the tariff-free trade benefits of the African Growth and Opportunity Act, and more investment. The U.S. is calculating how to better integrate with the African Continental Free Trade Agreement via a common platform for ongoing work. AGOA tends to be under-utilized. Over the past five years, U.S. imports of agricultural products from Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have increased by 20 percent, while American agricultural exports to SSA are up by 30 percent. The U.S. tends to export wheat, poultry, soy complex products and miscellaneous smaller food items. Americans import from Africa higher va...
Weighing in on strategic realignment
WPI’s team was retained by the governing board of a U.S. industry organization to review a decision, reached by vote, to invest significant assets into the development and management of an export trading company. WPI’s team conducted a formal review of this decision and concluded that the current level of market saturation would limit the benefits of the investment. Based on WPI’s analysis and recommended actions, the board subsequently reversed its decision and undertook a strategic planning effort to identify more impactful investments. On behalf of numerous clients, WPI has not only assisted in identifying strategic paths but also advised their implementation.
A federal appeals court paused a USITC ruling against President Trump’s use of Section 122 to impose 10-percent global tariffs. A bipartisan group of 80 House members asked USTR to investigate specialty crop imports from Mexico for unfair trade practices. India notified the WT...