Summer Internship

Thanks to support from the Center, I have had the opportunity this summer to live in Washington, DC, and intern at the U.S. Department of State. I am working in the Bureau of African Affairs, which I selected because of my interest in Africa and issues relevent to the continent, such as economic development, public health, and human rights. The Bureau placed me on its Economic Policy Staff, the office that conducts all of the U.S. government's economic relations with sub-Saharan Africa. This placement has turned out to be a great way for me to combine my interests in economic development, foreign aid, and international trade.
Now halfway through my internship, my work thus far has revolved around the African Growth Opportunities Act (AGOA), a trade policy passed by Congress in 2000. AGOA provides trade preferences to nations that are progressing in political, economic, and human rights reforms, allowing eligible countries to export duty-free products to the U.S. Since AOGA went into effect, U.S. imports from sub-Saharan African nations have increased by over 150%, which has allowed for increased economic growth in much of Africa.
So far, I have been able to learn a lot about how the U.S. conducts aid policies in developing countries, and I am looking forward to learning more about AGOA and other development programs in the coming weeks!