Commerce Advisory Committee on Africa: Membership

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

Commerce Advisory Committee on Africa: Membership

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of committee establishment and membership opportunity.

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SUMMARY: A committee comprised of U.S. businesses active in Sub-Saharan

Africa is to be established to advise the Secretary on issues of U.S.

commercial policy in Africa. This action is taken to ensure regular

consultation with the U.S. business community and to reflect its views

in the Clinton Administration's Africa Initiative. The Advisory

Committee will meet quarterly, or more often as determined by the

Secretary.

DATES: In order to receive full consideration, requests must be

received no later than January 27, 2000.

ADDRESSES: Please send your requests for consideration to Mrs. S. K.

Miller, Director, Office of Africa by fax on 202/482-5198 or by mail at

Room 2037, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mrs. S. K. Miller, Director, Office of

Africa, Room 2037, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230;

telephone: 202/482-4227.

Notice of Committee Establishment

In accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee

Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2, and the General Services Administration (GSA)

rule on Federal Advisory Committee Management, 41 CFR Part 101-6, and,

after consultation with GSA, the Secretary of Commerce has determined

that the establishment of the Advisory Committee on Africa is in the

public interest in connection with the performance of duties imposed on

the Department by law.

In furtherance of the President's Africa Initiative, the Committee

will advise the Secretary, through the Under Secretary for

International Trade, on

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U.S. commercial policy on trade with Sub-Saharan Africa.

The ACA will be composed of not more than 21 individuals

representing companies, and will be chaired by Secretary of Commerce

William M. Daley. To assure a balanced representation of interests,

members will be selected based on the criteria set forth below, to

obtain a balance in industry sectors, company size, location, gender

and ethnic representation.

The Committee will function solely as an advisory body, and in

compliance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

The Charter will be filed under the Act, fifteen days from the

publication of this notice.

The inaugural meeting of the ACA is expected to take place during

the first quarter of the year 2000 Meetings will be scheduled quarterly

throughout the year at the Department's headquarters. Additional

meetings may be called as determined by the Secretary.

Notice of Opportunity to Apply for Membership

Membership Obligations

Members will be expected to serve a term of two years. However, to

set up a staggered membership renewal, one third of the private sector

members from this initial appointment will serve for a two year term; a

second third will serve for a three year term and a final third for a

four year term. Each year, a third of the ACA membership will be

replaced.

Nominations are now being sought for private sector members to

serve for a two, three, or four year period from January 1, 2000 until

December 31, 2001-2004, respectively. Members will serve at the

discretion of the Secretary and shall serve as representatives of the

business community and, specifically, the industry in which their

business is engaged. They are expected to participate fully in

implementing the Committee's work program. It is expected that private

sector individuals chosen for ACA membership will attend not less than

75% of the ACA meetings each year.

Private sector members are fully responsible for travel, per diem,

and personal expenses associated with their participation on the ACA.

The ACA will work on issues of common interest to encourage trade

and investment, including the following:

--Resolving obstacles to trade and investment between the United States

and Africa;

--Expanding commercial activity between the United States and Africa

and identifying commercial opportunities;

--Developing sectoral or project-oriented approaches to expand business

opportunities;

--Identifying further steps to facilitate and encourage the development

of commercial expansion between the United States and Africa; and

--Taking any other appropriate steps for fostering commercial relations

between the U.S. and Africa.

Criteria

In order to be eligible for membership in the U.S. section,

potential candidates must be:

(1) U.S. citizens or permanent residents;

(2) CEOs or other senior management level employees of a U.S.

company or organization with demonstrated involvement in trade with

and/or investment in Sub-Saharan Africa who will participate in not

less than 75% of the meetings, which will be held in the United States.

Representative nominated should be the individual who will actively

participate in the ACA);

(3) Not a Registered Foreign Agent; and

(4) Actively doing business in Sub-Saharan Africa or actively

developing entry plans for doing business in Sub-Saharan Africa.

To the extent possible, the Department of Commerce will strive to

achieve membership composition that reflects U.S. entrepreneurial

diversity. Therefore, in reviewing eligible candidates, the Department

of Commerce will consider such selection factors as:

(1) Depth of experience in the Sub-Saharan African market;

(2) Export/investment experience;

(3) Representation of industry or service sectors of importance to

our commercial relationship with Sub-Saharan Africa;

(4) Company size or, if an organization, size and number of member

companies;

(5) Location of company or organization; and

(6) Contribution to the Committee's ethnic and gender diversity.

To apply for membership, please provide a company information sheet

and a personal resume and any other pertinent information which

demonstrate how the applicant satisfies the selection criteria

identified.

Authority: 15 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.; Reorganization Plan No. 3 of

1979, 19 U.S.C. 2171 Note, 5 U.S.C. App. 2.

Sally Miller,

Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Africa.

[FR Doc. 00-461 Filed 1-11-00; 8:45 am]

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