Trade Expansion for Southern Africa
AECOM International Development and its consortium partners are implementing the USAID-funded Trade Expansion for Southern Africa (TESA I) Contract, a 6-year project that aims to increase economic growth of 10 countries in southern Africa by enhancing their competitiveness in world markets and the international trade arena. TESA I includes four activity components: Capacity Building and Policy Reform for Trade and Competitiveness, Trade Facilitation, Financial Services for Trade and Competitiveness, and Dialogue for Competitiveness. The project covers 10 countries in Southern Africa: Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, and Zambia. Five of these countries currently belong to the Southern African Customs Union and are currently negotiating a free trade agreement with the United States, and all 10 countries are members of the WTO and eligible for the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA).
The TESA project seeks to capitalize on the many opportunities currently available to increase the region’s participation in the world trade market, including the AGOA, the negotiations for a free trade agreement between the United States and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), and the Doha Development Round. TESA I supports the southern African countries in maximizing the potential of these opportunities, resulting in investment and economic growth. The project team is well structured to support the capacity building, facilitation, and dialogue activities in all 10 countries, and the collective experience of all the AECOM International Development consortium members and field personnel provides a powerful intellectual base to assist the region in expanding its presence in the global marketplace.
Consortium partners on this contract include Nathan Associates, Inc.; Dexis Consulting; JE Austin Associates; Jacobs and Associates; The Mitchell Group; Botswana Institute for Development Policy and Analysis; Consileum Legis; Cyperplex Africa; Horizon Facilitators; Imani Development Intl.; Independent Management Consulting Services; Sal Consulting; and Trade Law Centre for Southern Africa.
