Arlington, VA– Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency announced that Director Enoh T. Ebong will join U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken’s travel to the Philippines and South Africalater this week.During the trip, Director Ebong will highlight USTDA’s work to advance the Philippines’ clean energy transition. In South Africa, Director Ebong will participate in the U.S.-South Africa Strategic Dialogue, where she will discuss the U.S. government’s support for sustainable infrastructure development, and highlight how the Agency will advance the goals of the U.S. Strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa, which Secretary Blinken will launch.

“USTDA works alongside U.S. industry and in close partnership with the public and private sectors in the Philippines and South Africa to advance the development of high-quality infrastructure projects that each country has established as its priorities,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s Director. “Our model of assistance focuses on access and inclusivity and is based on the core principles of mutual benefit and trust.”

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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.

MEDIA INQUIRIES: Paul Marin | (703) 875-4357

Arlington, VA – Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency announced it has awarded a grant to the National Power Transmission Corporation of Vietnam (NPT) for technical assistance to advance the deployment of smart grid technologies in Vietnam. NPT selected Connecticut-based Actionable Strategies LLC to perform the assistance.

“For more than 25 years USTDA has partnered with Vietnam on wholistic energy sector solutions to advance the country’s dynamic economic growth,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s Director. “U.S. companies are leading innovators of information technology and power transmission solutions, and they are eager to partner with Vietnam on this important project.”

The project, which builds upon previous collaborative efforts between USTDA and NPT, will support Vietnam’s efforts to leverage advanced information technology and enterprise solutions to support the country’s rapidly growing energy needs. These improvements will also facilitate disaster and pandemic planning at an enterprise level to ensure that NPT can maintain high-quality utility provision to its clients during extreme events.

“Vietnam values its important partnership with USTDA. Our cooperation has strengthened the efficiency and reliability of our power sector, which is essential to Vietnam’s economic growth and the prosperity of our people. We thank USTDA for its support of our priorities and look forward to successful outcomes where we all can benefit,” said Vice Minister Dang Hoang An of Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade.

This project advances the goals of USTDA’s Global Partnership for Climate-Smart Infrastructure and aligns with the Administration’s priorities to advance sustainable energy growth in the region under the Clean EDGE Asia initiative.

(Pictured: USTDA Country Manager Tanvi Madhusudanan announces USTDA support for NPT at the U.S.-Vietnam Energy Security Dialogue)

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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.

MEDIA INQUIRIES: Paul Marin | (703) 875-4357

Arlington, VA / Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire – The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) and African Development Bank’s Africa Investment Forum (AIF) co-hosted a forum of 40 women leaders who are delivering high-quality solutions for Africa’s infrastructure needs. The forum took place during last week’s U.S.-Africa Business Summit, in Marrakech, Morocco.

During the forum, USTDA and AIF showcased how their existing partnership advances women-led sustainable infrastructure in Africa. The closed-door gathering brought together women leaders from Africa’s private sector, the U.S. government, and international development finance agencies. It also supported the U.S. government’s Prosper Africa initiative to increase trade and investment between African nations and the United States.

“It is critically important to bring together women to talk about opportunities in infrastructure development and getting access to capital,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s Director. “Our partnership with AIF will facilitate women’s entrepreneurship in Africa and spark the development of sustainable infrastructure in support of Africa’s long-term growth.”

AIF Senior Director Chinelo Anohu lauded the transaction-focused nature of the partnership.

“Today, we have been discussing the obstacles to investment, and how to surmount them. We also considered how to build partnerships across agencies, and how to share deal flows and collaborate on the missing pieces that will enhance infrastructure investment to the continent. This is a collaboration that we will continue as we head to the Africa Investment Forum 2022 Market Days in Abidjan in November, and to the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in December.”

Addressing the media after the women’s summit, Dana Banks, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor for the U.S.- Africa Leaders Summit, said, “the discussion was a true demonstration of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to Africa and commitment to focus on women’s empowerment in the run-up to the U.S.- Africa Leaders Summit in December.” Banks also announced that the focus on women, and on connecting project sponsors with capital, will be one of the pillars of the White House Summit.

About the USTDA-AIF Partnership

In November 2021, USTDA and AIF signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to support high-quality infrastructure solutions for sub-Saharan Africa. It draws on AIF’s capacity to mobilize capital and USTDA’s focus on assuring the bankability of deals through its provision of feasibility studies on a grant-making basis. The MOU has already led to a mutually beneficial collaboration to advance sustainable infrastructure projects that support Africa’s long-term growth, as the two organizations share their deal pipelines.

This partnership with USTDA will help AIF advance several of its ongoing priorities, including its “Women as Investment Champions” initiative, which was launched in 2019 and led to the establishment in 2021 of a stand-alone pillar for transactions that are not only founded and led by women, but also have a significant gender impact.

The Women as Investment Champions initiative will be profiled at AIF’s 2022 Market Days, taking place from November 2-4 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The platform is expected to increase the proportion of deals that are women-led, and women impactful, as well as build upon AIF’s March 2022 unveiling of 45 projects worth up to $50 billion for its virtual boardrooms. Eight of these were women-led with a value of nearly $5 billion.

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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. business to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building.

The Africa Investment Forum is Africa’s premier investment marketplace to accelerate transactions to close Africa’s investment gaps. It is an initiative of the African Development Bank and seven partner institutions: Africa 50, Africa Finance Corporation, Afreximbank, Development Bank of Southern Africa, European Investment Bank, Islamic Development Bank and Trade and Development Bank.

Prosper Africa mobilizes services from across the U.S Government from 17 participating agencies to provide businesses and investors with market insights, deal support, financing and solutions to strengthen the business climate.

MEDIA Inquiries:

USTDA: Paul Marin, +1 703-875-4357

AfDB: Onike Nicole-Houra, O.NICOL@afdb.org

Arlington, VA – Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency awarded a grant to Régie Autonome de Distribution d’Eau et d’Electricité de Marrakech (RADEEMA), Marrakech’s electricity and water utility, for a feasibility study to transform the power distribution infrastructure in Marrakech into a smart grid. The project is the first of its kind in Morocco and will serve as a model for other Moroccan cities. Washington, D.C.-based Africa Climate Solutions will perform the study.

“USTDA is partnering with RADEEMA and like-minded utilities around the globe to lay the foundation for a clean energy future,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s Director. “Smart grids are an important component of USTDA’s climate-smart infrastructure portfolio. They improve power sector efficiency and facilitate the integration of renewable sources of power, including rooftop solar, into the grid. Our support for this activity reflects USTDA’s commitment to advancing smart and sustainable energy solutions in partnership with overseas partners and U.S. industry.”

USTDA’s study will define the technical, economic, and regulatory framework for the proposed project and develop an implementation plan to guide the deployment of smart grid infrastructure in Marrakech. The project will help reduce technical and non-technical losses and the frequency and duration of power outages in Marrakech and support the integration of renewable energy sources into its grid.

“We are honored to be the recipient of USTDA’s grant for the smart grid feasibility study. Thanks to this project, RADEEMA will contribute to achieving the objectives of our national energy strategy to integrate renewable energy while reducing losses on the network,” said Nadia el-Hilali, General Manager of RADEEMA.

“This project is a great example of the value that U.S. government expertise can bring by connecting American companies with Moroccan partners to further support Morocco’s ambitious clean energy goals,” said Lawrence M. Randolph, Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Morocco. “We are pleased to support this project with our colleagues at USTDA.”

This activity supports the Biden-Harris Administration’s Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment and USTDA’s Global Partnership for Climate-Smart Infrastructure, which connects U.S. industry to major clean transport and energy infrastructure projects in emerging markets.

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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.

MEDIA INQUIRIES: Paul Marin | (703) 875-4357

Arlington, VA – Today, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency celebrated the 10th anniversary of its Making Global Local initiative, a partnership with state and local export promotion organizations across the United States that helps connect U.S. businesses with USTDA’s job-creating export promotion program. USTDA Director Enoh T. Ebong hosted the virtual ceremony, which marked the anniversary with the release of a new Making Global local logo and social media campaign.

“My vision for USTDA, and for our Making Global Local initiative, is to extend our ecosystem of opportunity to every U.S. company that shares our mission. This especially includes companies that have been historically underserved, including small, woman-owned, minority-owned, and disadvantaged businesses,” said Director Ebong. “I want to ensure that opportunity is inclusive and shared among the diverse spectrum of companies that exist in this country.”

Founded on World Trade Day 2012, Making Global Local now includes a growing membership of 90 partners across 35 states that participate in the full range of USTDA’s export-promotion programs, including reverse trade missions, business briefings, and expert workshops. The initiative is a resource for joining together entities at home and around the world who might otherwise never connect.

The virtual ceremony celebrating Making Global Local’s anniversary included testimonials from the senior leadership of member organizations including the Greater Houston Partnership, Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation, World Trade Center of Greater Philadelphia, and World Trade Center Savannah.

USTDA’s new Making Global Local logo, created to signify the future of the initiative, is a contemporary patchwork of reds and blues that are unified by white bands across a single sphere, representing the Agency’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, and global partnerships.

For information on how your organization can become a Making Global Local partner, please contact us.

To learn more about the Making Global Local initiative and how it can benefit U.S. companies in your community, please watch our 10th anniversary celebration.

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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.

MEDIA INQUIRIES: Paul Marin | (703) 875-4357