Trade Mission Statement: Sub-Saharan Africa Trade Mission to Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa; March 3-11, 2008

Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration Mission Description The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, U.S. Commercial Service is organizing a Trade Mission to Sub-Saharan Africa March 3-11, 2008, to help U.S. firms find business partners and sell equipment and services in Accra, Ghana; Lagos, Nigeria; and Johannesburg, South Africa. Targeted ( printed page 55748) sectors include, but are not limited to, energy, health care, information technology, safety and security, and telecommunications. The Director General for the U.S. Commercial Service will lead the mission, which will include business-to-business matchmaking with local companies, marketing briefings, and meetings with key government officials. Commercial Setting U.S. Total trade with Sub-Saharan Africa increased 10 percent in the first half of 2007 from the same period in 2006, as both exports and imports grew. U.S. exports increased by 30 percent to 46.7 billion, driven mainly by increases in parts for oil field equipment, vehicles and parts, aircraft, wheat, platforms for offshore oil drilling, non-crude oil, and medical equipment. Of the top five African destinations for U.S. products, exports to South Africa rose by 8 percent and to Nigeria by 42 percent. As the markets in Sub-Saharan Africa continue to show substantial growth and potential—encompassing a burgeoning consumer base of 650 million people—Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa stand out as p…