TWG strongly believes that Africa’s road to prosperity runs through the global marketplace and that sustainable economic development is a necessary prerequisite to the lasting establishment of democracy and human rights. We bring together African governments and its local private sectors with global corporations, decision-makers and investors in the United States and beyond to grow African economies and enhance business operations on the continent.
To date, we have facilitated over $1 billion in trade, investment and capital flows between the US and Africa. We are recognized as the foremost experts on translating the opportunities offered by the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) into tangible results. Our founder and President, Rosa Whitaker, was one of the hands-on architects of AGOA, which provides duty and quota free access to the US market for essentially all products made in Africa.
TWG is proud to be playing a role in the economic renaissance of several African nations. The partnerships we have helped forge have contributed to sub-Saharan Africa’s average 6% growth rate over the past decade and have been instrumental in delivering skills, jobs, capital, infrastructure and social services. In addition, we have been pleased to open doors in Africa for global corporations seeking to invest or expand there, or to engage African leaders in innovative ways.
Our trade and investment work includes:
Working closely with the Government of Lesotho and manufacturers in Lesotho to grow a sustainable apparel and textile industry that has made the country the top apparel exporter in Africa. This has included facilitating millions of dollars in orders from major US retailers.
Designing and executing multiple trade and investment missions to the United States for African Heads of State, ministers and private sector lenders. In 2007, TWG co-hosted a trade mission with the US Chamber of Commerce that introduced ministers and other government officials from five African nations – Burundi, Ghana, Lesotho, Mauritius and Uganda – to major corporate players on the West Coast. The delegation met with representatives of Levi Strauss, GAP Inc., Starbucks, Costco, Boeing, Coca Cola, Landor, Nexant, Product Red and Google. Coordinating a series of apparel and textile trade roundtables for client nations with the US Association of Importers of Textile and Apparel.
Helping facilitate oil exploration offshore in Ghana, which has resulted in the discovery of significant oil reserves.
Designing and executing comprehensive strategic action plans for expanding trade and investment for the Republics of Ghana, Uganda, Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire and the Kingdom of Lesotho.
Developing comprehensive tourism promotion campaigns for Uganda and Ghana.
Co-convening annual AGOA investment summits in Washington, DC, and Africa, attended by global fund managers, US private sector leaders and African ministers. To date, TWG has helped convene five such summits.
