Africa—USAID Africa Trade and Investment activity

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Africa Trade and Investment activity (ATI) was designed to bolster the Agency’s ability to boost trade and investment to, from, and within the African continent. As USAID’s flagship effort under the Prosper Africa initiative, the continent-wide program expanded two-way trade and investment between African nations and the United States, strengthening supply chains in areas such as critical minerals while reducing the region’s dependence on China for trade and financing.

The program worked with the African private sector to achieve Africa’s vision for inclusive economic growth. It sought to generate thousands of jobs across the continent and within the United States, deliver billions in exports and investments, mobilize private sector-driven solutions, and create healthy business environments.

Flexible, responsive, and demand-driven, ATI brought together a tested network of several hundred partners at the intersection of trade and investment, deploying proven approaches testing new finance solutions and building partnerships for sustainability and scale.

The platform was collectively funded by its users (Prosper Africa and participating USAID Buy-in Missions and Offices) and aimed for cost-effective, rapid, and flexible deployment of the most critical shared services.

Operating in 50 countries, ATI allowed USAID to work closely with the private sector to shape activities that unlock business opportunities, particularly those that drive trade and investment into and out of African markets

Sample Activities

• Provide market intelligence, assessments, and feasibility studies.
• Create market linkages and trade services.
• Design and structure funds and financial instruments.
• Provide financial advisory services.
• Build capacity.
• Assist with policy and regulatory services.

Selected Results

• Closed 3,481 trade deals valued at $2 billion.
• Closed 483 investment deals valued at $1.2 billion.
• Leveraged $406 million of additional private-sector investments.
• Secured more than $400 million of investment from African partners.
• Implemented 49 buy-ins with a cumulative value exceeding $400 million.
• Achieved $2.3 in private co-investment for every $1 of USAID investment.
• Expected to create 300,000 jobs across the continent.