Ambassador McCarter emphasized Prosper Africa’s potential to harness the power of the private sector to drive sustainable economic growth in Kenya and across the African continent. He also announced several Prosper deliverables, including a partnership with AmCham Kenya, new USAID funding opportunities for private sector partnerships, and the launch of “Prosper Counties,” a pilot activity to enhance US-Kenyan trade and investment engagement in eight Kenyan counties. Governors from the eight Prosper Counties attended the Summit and showed their goodwill and excitement regarding the new initiative. 

 

In addition to high-level representation from U.S. Embassies and foreign governments in the region, AmCham representatives from Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, and Mauritius also attended.  Among the 230 companies present were Coca Cola, Oracle, Microsoft, Citi, Del Monte, Corteva, Bechtel, GE, Rendeavour, Sygenta, Cigna, Johnson and Johnson, and Ford.   

 

Prosper Africa Interim Coordinator Matt Rees led a panel discussion on the benefits of Prosper Africa that included Commerce Deputy Assistant Secretary Skip Jones, Senior State Department Prosper Africa Liaison Laird Treiber, USAID/Kenya and East Africa’s Lisa Walker, and USTDA’s Katrien Hinderdahl.  

 

U.S. announcements included the U.S. Export-Import Bank’s willingness to finance up to $400 million in Kenyan projects and new USAID support for Kenya’s AmCham and private sector development in each of Kenya’s 47 counties.  In addition, the United States had two exhibition spaces showcasing American trade and investment activities and opportunities in the region which garnered widespread interest and facilitated new business connections representing $30 million worth of prospective investments. 

 

The U.S. Mission in Kenya will continue to track with AmCham new business deals sparked by the summit, and successes that boost U.S. and Kenya jobs and economic development.