FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
02/24/2015 11:15 AM EST
The Securities and Exchange Commission charged Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company with violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) when its subsidiaries paid bribes to land tire sales in Kenya and Angola.
Goodyear agreed to pay more than $16 million to settle the SEC’s charges.
According to the SEC’s order instituting a settled administrative proceeding, Goodyear failed to prevent or detect more than $3.2 million in bribes during a four-year period due to inadequate FCPA compliance controls at its subsidiaries in sub-Saharan Africa. Bribes were generally paid in cash to employees of private companies or government-owned entities as well as other local authorities such as police or city council officials. The improper payments were falsely recorded as legitimate business expenses in the books and records of the subsidiaries, which were consolidated into Goodyear’s books and records.
“Public companies must keep accurate accounting records, and Goodyear’s lax compliance controls enabled a routine of corrupt payments by African subsidiaries that were hidden in their books,” said Scott W. Friestad, Associate Director of the SEC’s Enforcement Division. “This settlement ensures that Goodyear must forfeit all of the illicit profits from business obtained through bribes to foreign officials as well as employees at commercial companies in Angola and Kenya.”
The SEC’s order finds that Goodyear’s subsidiary in Kenya bribed employees of the Kenya Ports Authority, Armed Forces Canteen Organization, Nzoia Sugar Company, Kenyan Air Force, Ministry of Roads, Ministry of State for Defense, East African Portland Cement Co., and Telkom Kenya Ltd. Goodyear’s subsidiary in Angola bribed employees of the Catoca Diamond Mine, which is owned by a consortium of mining interests including Angola’s national mining company Endiama E.P. and Russian mining company ALROSA. Others bribed in Angola worked at UNICARGAS, Engevia Construction and Public Works, Electric Company of Luanda, National Service of Alfadega, and Sonangol.
The SEC’s order finds that Goodyear violated the books and records and internal control provisions of the federal securities laws: Sections 13(b)(2)(A) and 13(b)(2)(B) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Goodyear neither admitted nor denied the SEC’s findings. The settlement reflects the company’s self-reporting, prompt remedial acts, and significant cooperation with the SEC’s investigation. Goodyear must pay disgorgement of $14,122,525 – which comprises the company’s illicit profits in Kenya and Angola – plus prejudgment interest of $2,105,540. Goodyear also must report its FCPA remediation efforts to the SEC for a three-year period.
The SEC’s investigation was conducted by Devon A. Brown and Brian T. Fitzsimons, and the case was supervised by Brian O. Quinn. The SEC thanks the Department of Justice’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio.
Showing posts with label ANGOLA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ANGOLA. Show all posts
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Friday, August 8, 2014
EXPORT-IMPORT BANK APPROVES RECORD FINANCING OF EXPORTS TO SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
FROM: U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK
Ex-Im Bank Approves Record $1.7 Billion in Financing of U.S. Exports to Sub-Saharan Africa
$3 Billion in Financing Support Pledged for U.S. Exports Over the Next 2 Years
Washington, D.C. – The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) announced today that it has authorized a record $1.7 billion in financing to support U.S. exports to sub-Saharan Africa over the past 10 months. This record-setting surge has not only empowered U.S. small businesses to sell their products in global markets, but has also supported more than 10,000 American jobs which contribute to strengthening the U.S. economy.
The announcement was made as Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg participated in the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit convened by President Barack Obama this week in Washington D.C. The summit has drawn about 50 heads of state, ministers, and business leaders from across the African continent.
“Ex-Im Bank is firmly committed to equipping U.S. exporters to realize the vast economic opportunities emerging throughout sub-Saharan Africa, which is home to seven out of 10 of the world’s fastest-growing markets,” said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. “Each transaction the Bank supports creates jobs for local U.S. businesses and strengthens our relationship with a region that has a strong prospect for long-term economic growth.”
Ex-Im also announced that it will pledge $3 billion in financing to support U.S exports to sub-Saharan Africa over the next two fiscal years. The Bank also recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Angola to strengthen collaboration on the financing of American-made exports to Angola.
Recent Ex-Im Bank success stories in sub-Saharan Africa:
Ex-Im approved a loan guarantee for $17 million to support long-term financing by the West African Development Bank (BOAD) for the Azito Power project in Cote D’Ivoire. Two-thirds of the population of Sub-Saharan Africa lacks electricity; by strengthening their power capacity, however, their economies will be well-positioned for growth. Financing for steam turbines used in the Azito Power project will support 40 manufacturing and engineering jobs in Schenectady, New York, and Bangor, Maine.
Three Louisana small businesses benefit from Ex-Im’s $43 million financing of a liftboat destined for Nigeria. The “Bellator” liftboat is a self-propelled vessel, 150-foot long by 118-foot wide, that lifts and suspends equipment and personnel up to the level of an offshore drilling platform. About 300 employees of C.S. Liftboats, Inc., of Abbeville, Louisiana, together with Gulf Island Fabrications of Houma, Louisiana, will construct the high-tech vessel. The Nigerian buyer also contracted for prefabricated liftboat-mounted modules for housing workers; these are built by Fiberglass Unlimited Inc. of Raceland, Louisiana. This is Nigeria’s first purchase of a new, American-made liftboat system.
Pennsylvania employees of GE Transportation will benefit from the Bank-supported export of GE’s locomotives with Pennsylvania-made engines and components to Transnet in South Africa. In its recent transaction, Ex-Im Bank authorized a $563.5 million loan guarantee to support financing for the sale of 293 locomotives being manufactured by GE Transportation, which will support an estimated 2,500 U.S. jobs.
The announcement was made as Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg participated in the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit convened by President Barack Obama this week in Washington D.C. The summit has drawn about 50 heads of state, ministers, and business leaders from across the African continent.
“Ex-Im Bank is firmly committed to equipping U.S. exporters to realize the vast economic opportunities emerging throughout sub-Saharan Africa, which is home to seven out of 10 of the world’s fastest-growing markets,” said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. “Each transaction the Bank supports creates jobs for local U.S. businesses and strengthens our relationship with a region that has a strong prospect for long-term economic growth.”
Ex-Im also announced that it will pledge $3 billion in financing to support U.S exports to sub-Saharan Africa over the next two fiscal years. The Bank also recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Angola to strengthen collaboration on the financing of American-made exports to Angola.
Recent Ex-Im Bank success stories in sub-Saharan Africa:
Ex-Im approved a loan guarantee for $17 million to support long-term financing by the West African Development Bank (BOAD) for the Azito Power project in Cote D’Ivoire. Two-thirds of the population of Sub-Saharan Africa lacks electricity; by strengthening their power capacity, however, their economies will be well-positioned for growth. Financing for steam turbines used in the Azito Power project will support 40 manufacturing and engineering jobs in Schenectady, New York, and Bangor, Maine.
Three Louisana small businesses benefit from Ex-Im’s $43 million financing of a liftboat destined for Nigeria. The “Bellator” liftboat is a self-propelled vessel, 150-foot long by 118-foot wide, that lifts and suspends equipment and personnel up to the level of an offshore drilling platform. About 300 employees of C.S. Liftboats, Inc., of Abbeville, Louisiana, together with Gulf Island Fabrications of Houma, Louisiana, will construct the high-tech vessel. The Nigerian buyer also contracted for prefabricated liftboat-mounted modules for housing workers; these are built by Fiberglass Unlimited Inc. of Raceland, Louisiana. This is Nigeria’s first purchase of a new, American-made liftboat system.
Pennsylvania employees of GE Transportation will benefit from the Bank-supported export of GE’s locomotives with Pennsylvania-made engines and components to Transnet in South Africa. In its recent transaction, Ex-Im Bank authorized a $563.5 million loan guarantee to support financing for the sale of 293 locomotives being manufactured by GE Transportation, which will support an estimated 2,500 U.S. jobs.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
SECRETARY KERRY MAKES REMARKS WITH ANGOLAN VICE PRESIDENT VINCENTE
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks With Angolan Vice President Manuel Domingos Vicente Before Their Meeting
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Treaty Room
Washington, DC
August 4, 2014
SECRETARY KERRY: Well, good morning. Again, it’s my distinct pleasure to welcome Vice President Vicente here to Washington and to tell him how much I appreciated my welcome when I was in Angola. We had a wonderful visit with President Dos Santos, with the foreign minister, and much of his delegation who are here today.
I want to thank him and the Government of Angola for their tremendous cooperation and their leadership with respect to the Kimberley Process and the Great Lakes Process, with respect to the Democratic Republic of Congo, the M23, the FDLR, and the issue of trying to resolve that crisis once and for all. Their leadership has been very, very important.
We have also have been – and they chair, I might add, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, and help – and have helped significantly resolving that conflict. President Dos Santos’ stature, his seniority in the region, and his leadership have been very, very important to helping to set up the principles, which have helped to bring that crisis to a road, a path, that everybody understands could bring peace.
In addition, we have strengthened our economic relationship with Angola, and we look forward to doing so even more. And we congratulate Angola on the significant job that they have done to help to reintegrate some 500,000-plus people who were displaced as a result of their very long civil war.
So there is a great deal that is happening, and Angola is one of the countries that is evidence of the transformation that is taking place in Africa. And we are very happy to welcome the vice president here today and to have a chance to talk about these things. Thank you.
VICE PRESIDENT VICENTE: Thank you very much.
SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you, sir. Please.
VICE PRESIDENT VICENTE: Well, I’m – I’ll address to you in Portuguese.
SECRETARY KERRY: I think we have somebody to --
VICE PRESIDENT VICENTE: I don’t know if there is a translation here. Okay. (In Portuguese.)
SECRETARY KERRY: (In Portuguese.) Do we have our – we don’t have him here. I know he’s speaking – we were counting on his excellent English, which I know he speaks, but basically – do you want to summarize, or do you want me to just say --
VICE PRESIDENT VICENTE: You can.
SECRETARY KERRY: The quickest summary in the world is that he said he was very happy to be here in Washington with the Secretary of State, very happy to be here as part of this conference, that he looks forward to working with us and the continued stabilization of the continent of Africa. He talked about the growth and development and economic relationship. And I think that’s the quickest summary. Is that fair?
VICE PRESIDENT VICENTE: That’s good.
SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you. All right.
VICE PRESIDENT VICENTE: Thank you.
I want to thank him and the Government of Angola for their tremendous cooperation and their leadership with respect to the Kimberley Process and the Great Lakes Process, with respect to the Democratic Republic of Congo, the M23, the FDLR, and the issue of trying to resolve that crisis once and for all. Their leadership has been very, very important.
We have also have been – and they chair, I might add, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, and help – and have helped significantly resolving that conflict. President Dos Santos’ stature, his seniority in the region, and his leadership have been very, very important to helping to set up the principles, which have helped to bring that crisis to a road, a path, that everybody understands could bring peace.
In addition, we have strengthened our economic relationship with Angola, and we look forward to doing so even more. And we congratulate Angola on the significant job that they have done to help to reintegrate some 500,000-plus people who were displaced as a result of their very long civil war.
So there is a great deal that is happening, and Angola is one of the countries that is evidence of the transformation that is taking place in Africa. And we are very happy to welcome the vice president here today and to have a chance to talk about these things. Thank you.
VICE PRESIDENT VICENTE: Thank you very much.
SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you, sir. Please.
VICE PRESIDENT VICENTE: Well, I’m – I’ll address to you in Portuguese.
SECRETARY KERRY: I think we have somebody to --
VICE PRESIDENT VICENTE: I don’t know if there is a translation here. Okay. (In Portuguese.)
SECRETARY KERRY: (In Portuguese.) Do we have our – we don’t have him here. I know he’s speaking – we were counting on his excellent English, which I know he speaks, but basically – do you want to summarize, or do you want me to just say --
VICE PRESIDENT VICENTE: You can.
SECRETARY KERRY: The quickest summary in the world is that he said he was very happy to be here in Washington with the Secretary of State, very happy to be here as part of this conference, that he looks forward to working with us and the continued stabilization of the continent of Africa. He talked about the growth and development and economic relationship. And I think that’s the quickest summary. Is that fair?
VICE PRESIDENT VICENTE: That’s good.
SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you. All right.
VICE PRESIDENT VICENTE: Thank you.
U.S. -ANGOLA SIGN MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING TO ST TRADE
FROM: U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK
Ex-Im Bank and Angola Sign Memorandum of Understanding To Boost U.S.-Angolan Trade
Ex-Im Bank-Angola MOU Signed During U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.: – The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Angola to boost job growth in both countries by strengthening collaboration on the financing of American exports to Angola.
The MOU signing between Ex-Im Bank President Fred P. Hochberg and Angola’s Minister of Finance, Mr. Armando Manuel, took place in conjunction with the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit convened by President Barack Obama this week in Washington, D.C. The three-day summit, which has drawn heads of state and ministers from across the African continent, is designed to advance shared priorities, and strengthen ties between the United States and one of the world’s fastest-growing regions.
“Ex-Im Bank’s financing can assist Angolan buyers in purchasing almost any kind of ‘Made in the USA’ product or service to meet their needs,” said Hochberg. “And those purchases not only create jobs here in America, but contribute to job growth and an infrastructure built to last in Angola as well.”
In the MOU, Ex-Im Bank and Angola’s Ministry of Finance agreed to exchange information on trade and business opportunities to enable the procurement of U.S. goods and services by both state-owned and private-sector enterprises in Angola. The MOU identifies the following sectors for business development: energy, infrastructure, railways and roads, mining, telecommunications, agriculture, and environment, including water and sanitation projects.Ex-Im Bank has authorized a record of more than $1.7 billion for U.S. exports to sub-Saharan Africa through the first ten months of FY 2014.
In the past five years, Ex-Im Bank has authorized more than $5 billion for U.S. exports to sub-Saharan Africa, exceeding the Bank’s authorizations of $4 billion for the region approved over the previous decade.
The MOU signing between Ex-Im Bank President Fred P. Hochberg and Angola’s Minister of Finance, Mr. Armando Manuel, took place in conjunction with the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit convened by President Barack Obama this week in Washington, D.C. The three-day summit, which has drawn heads of state and ministers from across the African continent, is designed to advance shared priorities, and strengthen ties between the United States and one of the world’s fastest-growing regions.
“Ex-Im Bank’s financing can assist Angolan buyers in purchasing almost any kind of ‘Made in the USA’ product or service to meet their needs,” said Hochberg. “And those purchases not only create jobs here in America, but contribute to job growth and an infrastructure built to last in Angola as well.”
In the MOU, Ex-Im Bank and Angola’s Ministry of Finance agreed to exchange information on trade and business opportunities to enable the procurement of U.S. goods and services by both state-owned and private-sector enterprises in Angola. The MOU identifies the following sectors for business development: energy, infrastructure, railways and roads, mining, telecommunications, agriculture, and environment, including water and sanitation projects.Ex-Im Bank has authorized a record of more than $1.7 billion for U.S. exports to sub-Saharan Africa through the first ten months of FY 2014.
In the past five years, Ex-Im Bank has authorized more than $5 billion for U.S. exports to sub-Saharan Africa, exceeding the Bank’s authorizations of $4 billion for the region approved over the previous decade.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
SECRETARY KERRY'S PRESS AVAILABILITY IN LUANDA, ANGOLA
FROM: THE STATE DEPARTMENT
Press Availability in Luanda, Angola
Press Availability
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Luanda, Angola
May 5, 2014
SECRETARY KERRY: Good morning, everybody. President Dos Santos and I had a very constructive conversation today. We discussed a broad array of the issues concerning not just the bilateral relationship, but also concerning regional and broader security issues and challenges of the region.
I want to emphasize that Angola is a very important partner in the region, and the relations between Angola and the United States are, in fact, moving on an upward trajectory and getting stronger with each meeting that we have. And I was very encouraged today by the discussions we had about enlarging our cooperation, engaging in a security dialogue, and in the near term building on the visit of the African leaders to Washington for the summit with President Obama and engaging in further meetings between ourselves on a bilateral basis during that time.
Over the past few days, I have – oh, excuse me. We have – I’m sorry. We have translation.
Over the past days I’ve spoken often about African leadership and this moment of promise and of decision for Africans. Angola is committed to making the most of this moment increasingly through an important role as a leader in the region and particularly on security issues. Angola is playing a central role – integral role, really – in bringing African nations together and in leading them towards an enduring peace, we hope, in the Great Lakes region. I thank President Dos Santos for his personal work and commitment to that effort, for his leadership, and particularly for the International Conference of the Great Lakes, which Angola is chairing, and which he has committed to continue to try to bring to completion.
Our special envoy to the Great Lakes, Senator Russ Feingold has been to the region nine times prior to coming this time in order to help support that effort. I worked very closely with Russ during our days in the Senate, and then, as now, he is a tireless worker, deeply committed to Africa, knowledgeable about Africa, and ready to try to work with the Angolan Government and help – in an effort to achieve the peace in the Great Lakes region. And I know that President Obama very much appreciates the fact that today President Dos Santos and Foreign Minister Chikoti both committed to continue to work with Senator Feingold and with our team in order to advance the peace process.
I also commended Angola for their commitments in the Central African Republic where the United States has provided $100 million in security assistance to the French and the AU-led forces, and 67 million in humanitarian assistance. And today, President Dos Santos informed us that he intends to remain strongly committed to the Central African Republic initiative and that he will be having meetings shortly in furtherance of that effort.
President Dos Santos and I also discussed the importance of bilateral trade and diversifying the Angolan economy. Angola’s economy has experienced, and continues to enjoy, a remarkable amount of economic growth. We talked today about specific ways in which the United States and Angola can grow the relationship and, in particular, we talked about increased possibilities of cooperation in agriculture, in technology, in energy diversity, and also in infrastructure.
I want to say that we are very pleased to see that growth in the economy now means growth of opportunity for Angolans and more and more – more and more Angolans are participating in the progress that is taking place here and in the vital industries. Yesterday at the port here in Luanda, I had the opportunity to visit General Electric’s operations and also meet with energy company executives who informed me about the numbers of Angolans that they are hiring and training and providing new opportunities to, and we think that is a critical component of any relationship. The people of Angola must receive benefit. We also hope that more Angolans will be able to bring their talents to the use of their country through greater engagement with their government and in a more open and engaged civil society.
I have learned that Angola will be conducting its first-ever national census since gaining independence. The collection of complete information and statistics about a population is a very important step in development and in providing services to citizens. So we wish the Angolan people well in carrying out this important task, and we also look forward to hosting African leaders in August in Washington at President Obama’s U.S. leadership summit. This meeting in Washington will provide one more opportunity for Angola and for its leaders to be able to share with us their successes, as well as to explore the ways in which we can build on our relationship.
I was genuinely impressed by the common agenda that we talked about today and felt as if there is an opportunity for both of us to be able to grow this relationship, and we look forward to continuing our work. We set some specific homework for each of us to do, and we’re going to follow up on it. So I look forward to growing this partnership in a very constructive, productive way.
Thank you. I’m happy to take a couple questions.
MS. PSAKI: The first question is from Phil Stewart of Reuters.
QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. South Sudan’s rebel leader Machar has said in an interview that he does not see the point of face-to-face talks at this point and that he didn’t think the transitional government could happen before elections. Have you tried to contact him again since your attempt Friday? Are we safe to assume these talks are not going to happen this week? And if he doesn’t go for face-to-face talks, will the U.S. now finally impose sanctions on him?
Also, on Angola, did you manage to formalize any commitment from Angola to airlift troops to Central African Republic, if needed, or secure any additional security commitments from President Dos Santos?
SECRETARY KERRY: I didn’t hear you. I’m sorry, but that part of the question got swallowed up.
QUESTION: On Angola? Okay, did you manage to secure any additional security commitments from President Dos Santos? You spoke – talked about deepening your security dialogue, and did you manage to secure commitment from them to potentially airlift troops to Central African Republic, if needed, or formalize any of their previous --
SECRETARY KERRY: Yeah. Well, let me – with respect to your question – with respect to Riek Machar, I saw the interview and he left the door open. He expressed some doubts, but he didn’t say he wouldn’t go. And I talked to Prime Minister Hailemariam -- Hailemariam – who made it clear to me that Mr. Machar made a commitment to him that he would come. And he – the Ethiopians will be in touch with him. They said to me they will make the arrangements. In my conversation he expressed some concerns about the logistics, but his wife is in Ethiopia and we are convinced that that is the only way forward.
So he has a fundamental decision to make. If he decides not to or procrastinates, then we have a number of different options that are available to us. We said we are serious. There will be accountability and implications if people do not join into this legitimate effort. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and I had a conversation yesterday. He will be going to Juba tomorrow, and we talked about the process going ahead.
And let me make it clear that if there is a total refusal by one party or the other to engage in a legitimate promise which they have previously promised they would engage in, not only might sanctions be engaged, but there are other serious implications and possible consequences. So –
The parties need to recognize that they signed a cessation of hostilities agreement – both of them. And the international community is prepared to take steps to see that that is honored by putting additional forces in. I talked with Secretary General Ban Ki-moon about the UN process with respect to that, and he is committed to see to it that we live up to our part of this bargain. So we encourage both leaders to take advantage of this moment to try to make peace with their people, and we’ve made it very clear that there are other choices available to the international community if they do not.
With respect to President Dos Santos’s commitments to the Central African Republic, the answer is yes, he is absolutely committed to further engagement. He will be directly engaged with the leaders in the region and providing additional assistance, as will we. And we agreed that the United States effort is already providing lift and assistance to the French in addition to resources, and I think that Angola’s prepared not only to do the same but to take a leadership role in convening leaders in order to try to diminish the level of violence and protect the civilian population. We did talk about that.
MS. PSAKI: The next question is from Mateus Gaspar.
SECRETARY KERRY: Let me – I didn’t (inaudible).
MS. PSAKI: Oh.
QUESTION: So (inaudible), what are the other possible consequences?
SECRETARY KERRY: Well, you know there are. They’ve been talked about. There’s accountability in the international community for atrocities. There are sanctions. There are possibilities of peacemaking forces. There are any number of possibilities.
MS. PSAKI: The next question is from Mateus Gasper from TPA TV.
QUESTION: (In Portuguese.)
SECRETARY KERRY: Can you hear? You got – a bit closer?
PARTICIPANT: Do you have a mike?
SECRETARY KERRY: He has a mike, yes.
QUESTION: (Via interpreter) The United States and Angola have had diplomatic relations since 1973. They’ve had a strategic agreement since 2009. But really, very little has been done. There have been very few developments. What is the United States’s reason and where do you envision that this relationship will grow and get stronger, and in what areas?
SECRETARY KERRY: Well, thank you very much. You are correct that there was a strategic dialogue agreement signed. And there has not been enough ability to follow up, and some meetings that were supposed to have taken place unfortunately got delayed. That’s why I’m here. I came here specifically because we have a desire to make sure that we build on that dialogue. And I can guarantee that today we laid out a schedule that over the next few months will wind up with our meeting probably in Washington, somewhere maybe even around the President’s summit. We will have our first meeting in order to follow up. We’ve agreed to set a specific timetable and a specific agenda. And that agenda will include a broad array of ways in which we work together. We currently do many – let me let him translate.
We have agreed today that we will continue to work together closely with Senator Feingold and the International Conference on the Great Lakes. We agreed that we will work on the Central African Republic and we will work on other security issues in the region. We agreed we will have an energy dialogue and we will have further discussion about the bilateral business economic relationship, including infrastructure, agriculture, oil and gas, energy, energy diversity.
We agreed we will continue to do the work we do now with respect to health in Angola, work on malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. And we will continue to be engaged in the health sector, and we particularly are excited about the possibilities of working on technology. We agreed to have a specific energy dialogue and we agreed that we will share the agenda with each other in the next days in preparations for the next round of meetings.
Thank you.
MS. PSAKI: Thank you.
SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you all very much.
I want to emphasize that Angola is a very important partner in the region, and the relations between Angola and the United States are, in fact, moving on an upward trajectory and getting stronger with each meeting that we have. And I was very encouraged today by the discussions we had about enlarging our cooperation, engaging in a security dialogue, and in the near term building on the visit of the African leaders to Washington for the summit with President Obama and engaging in further meetings between ourselves on a bilateral basis during that time.
Over the past few days, I have – oh, excuse me. We have – I’m sorry. We have translation.
Over the past days I’ve spoken often about African leadership and this moment of promise and of decision for Africans. Angola is committed to making the most of this moment increasingly through an important role as a leader in the region and particularly on security issues. Angola is playing a central role – integral role, really – in bringing African nations together and in leading them towards an enduring peace, we hope, in the Great Lakes region. I thank President Dos Santos for his personal work and commitment to that effort, for his leadership, and particularly for the International Conference of the Great Lakes, which Angola is chairing, and which he has committed to continue to try to bring to completion.
Our special envoy to the Great Lakes, Senator Russ Feingold has been to the region nine times prior to coming this time in order to help support that effort. I worked very closely with Russ during our days in the Senate, and then, as now, he is a tireless worker, deeply committed to Africa, knowledgeable about Africa, and ready to try to work with the Angolan Government and help – in an effort to achieve the peace in the Great Lakes region. And I know that President Obama very much appreciates the fact that today President Dos Santos and Foreign Minister Chikoti both committed to continue to work with Senator Feingold and with our team in order to advance the peace process.
I also commended Angola for their commitments in the Central African Republic where the United States has provided $100 million in security assistance to the French and the AU-led forces, and 67 million in humanitarian assistance. And today, President Dos Santos informed us that he intends to remain strongly committed to the Central African Republic initiative and that he will be having meetings shortly in furtherance of that effort.
President Dos Santos and I also discussed the importance of bilateral trade and diversifying the Angolan economy. Angola’s economy has experienced, and continues to enjoy, a remarkable amount of economic growth. We talked today about specific ways in which the United States and Angola can grow the relationship and, in particular, we talked about increased possibilities of cooperation in agriculture, in technology, in energy diversity, and also in infrastructure.
I want to say that we are very pleased to see that growth in the economy now means growth of opportunity for Angolans and more and more – more and more Angolans are participating in the progress that is taking place here and in the vital industries. Yesterday at the port here in Luanda, I had the opportunity to visit General Electric’s operations and also meet with energy company executives who informed me about the numbers of Angolans that they are hiring and training and providing new opportunities to, and we think that is a critical component of any relationship. The people of Angola must receive benefit. We also hope that more Angolans will be able to bring their talents to the use of their country through greater engagement with their government and in a more open and engaged civil society.
I have learned that Angola will be conducting its first-ever national census since gaining independence. The collection of complete information and statistics about a population is a very important step in development and in providing services to citizens. So we wish the Angolan people well in carrying out this important task, and we also look forward to hosting African leaders in August in Washington at President Obama’s U.S. leadership summit. This meeting in Washington will provide one more opportunity for Angola and for its leaders to be able to share with us their successes, as well as to explore the ways in which we can build on our relationship.
I was genuinely impressed by the common agenda that we talked about today and felt as if there is an opportunity for both of us to be able to grow this relationship, and we look forward to continuing our work. We set some specific homework for each of us to do, and we’re going to follow up on it. So I look forward to growing this partnership in a very constructive, productive way.
Thank you. I’m happy to take a couple questions.
MS. PSAKI: The first question is from Phil Stewart of Reuters.
QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. South Sudan’s rebel leader Machar has said in an interview that he does not see the point of face-to-face talks at this point and that he didn’t think the transitional government could happen before elections. Have you tried to contact him again since your attempt Friday? Are we safe to assume these talks are not going to happen this week? And if he doesn’t go for face-to-face talks, will the U.S. now finally impose sanctions on him?
Also, on Angola, did you manage to formalize any commitment from Angola to airlift troops to Central African Republic, if needed, or secure any additional security commitments from President Dos Santos?
SECRETARY KERRY: I didn’t hear you. I’m sorry, but that part of the question got swallowed up.
QUESTION: On Angola? Okay, did you manage to secure any additional security commitments from President Dos Santos? You spoke – talked about deepening your security dialogue, and did you manage to secure commitment from them to potentially airlift troops to Central African Republic, if needed, or formalize any of their previous --
SECRETARY KERRY: Yeah. Well, let me – with respect to your question – with respect to Riek Machar, I saw the interview and he left the door open. He expressed some doubts, but he didn’t say he wouldn’t go. And I talked to Prime Minister Hailemariam -- Hailemariam – who made it clear to me that Mr. Machar made a commitment to him that he would come. And he – the Ethiopians will be in touch with him. They said to me they will make the arrangements. In my conversation he expressed some concerns about the logistics, but his wife is in Ethiopia and we are convinced that that is the only way forward.
So he has a fundamental decision to make. If he decides not to or procrastinates, then we have a number of different options that are available to us. We said we are serious. There will be accountability and implications if people do not join into this legitimate effort. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and I had a conversation yesterday. He will be going to Juba tomorrow, and we talked about the process going ahead.
And let me make it clear that if there is a total refusal by one party or the other to engage in a legitimate promise which they have previously promised they would engage in, not only might sanctions be engaged, but there are other serious implications and possible consequences. So –
The parties need to recognize that they signed a cessation of hostilities agreement – both of them. And the international community is prepared to take steps to see that that is honored by putting additional forces in. I talked with Secretary General Ban Ki-moon about the UN process with respect to that, and he is committed to see to it that we live up to our part of this bargain. So we encourage both leaders to take advantage of this moment to try to make peace with their people, and we’ve made it very clear that there are other choices available to the international community if they do not.
With respect to President Dos Santos’s commitments to the Central African Republic, the answer is yes, he is absolutely committed to further engagement. He will be directly engaged with the leaders in the region and providing additional assistance, as will we. And we agreed that the United States effort is already providing lift and assistance to the French in addition to resources, and I think that Angola’s prepared not only to do the same but to take a leadership role in convening leaders in order to try to diminish the level of violence and protect the civilian population. We did talk about that.
MS. PSAKI: The next question is from Mateus Gaspar.
SECRETARY KERRY: Let me – I didn’t (inaudible).
MS. PSAKI: Oh.
QUESTION: So (inaudible), what are the other possible consequences?
SECRETARY KERRY: Well, you know there are. They’ve been talked about. There’s accountability in the international community for atrocities. There are sanctions. There are possibilities of peacemaking forces. There are any number of possibilities.
MS. PSAKI: The next question is from Mateus Gasper from TPA TV.
QUESTION: (In Portuguese.)
SECRETARY KERRY: Can you hear? You got – a bit closer?
PARTICIPANT: Do you have a mike?
SECRETARY KERRY: He has a mike, yes.
QUESTION: (Via interpreter) The United States and Angola have had diplomatic relations since 1973. They’ve had a strategic agreement since 2009. But really, very little has been done. There have been very few developments. What is the United States’s reason and where do you envision that this relationship will grow and get stronger, and in what areas?
SECRETARY KERRY: Well, thank you very much. You are correct that there was a strategic dialogue agreement signed. And there has not been enough ability to follow up, and some meetings that were supposed to have taken place unfortunately got delayed. That’s why I’m here. I came here specifically because we have a desire to make sure that we build on that dialogue. And I can guarantee that today we laid out a schedule that over the next few months will wind up with our meeting probably in Washington, somewhere maybe even around the President’s summit. We will have our first meeting in order to follow up. We’ve agreed to set a specific timetable and a specific agenda. And that agenda will include a broad array of ways in which we work together. We currently do many – let me let him translate.
We have agreed today that we will continue to work together closely with Senator Feingold and the International Conference on the Great Lakes. We agreed that we will work on the Central African Republic and we will work on other security issues in the region. We agreed we will have an energy dialogue and we will have further discussion about the bilateral business economic relationship, including infrastructure, agriculture, oil and gas, energy, energy diversity.
We agreed we will continue to do the work we do now with respect to health in Angola, work on malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. And we will continue to be engaged in the health sector, and we particularly are excited about the possibilities of working on technology. We agreed to have a specific energy dialogue and we agreed that we will share the agenda with each other in the next days in preparations for the next round of meetings.
Thank you.
MS. PSAKI: Thank you.
SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you all very much.
Sunday, May 4, 2014
SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS TOURING GE FACILITY IN LUANDA, ANGOLA
FROM: THE STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks While Touring a GE Facility in Luanda
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Luanda, Angola
May 4, 2014
Well, Jay Ireland, thank you very much for a generous welcome here to General Electric in Luanda in the center of this extraordinary economic activity. I’m very excited to be here. I’m sorry that my wife is not here, because she was born in Mozambique and speaks – her first language is Portuguese. (Applause.) So I hear it around the house all the time – muito obrigadoand all that stuff. (Laughter.)
But it’s a privilege for me to be able to be here, and I want to thank Foreign Minister Chikoti for his welcome and for the opportunity to be able to meet the president tomorrow and have a good conversation about the bilateral relationship between the United States and Angola. I am particularly pleased to be here with other representatives of the oil and gas industry, a representative from Chevron, from ConocoPhilips, as well as from ExxonMobil – Esso, as you call it here. And I’m very grateful that the representative from the U.S.-Angola Chamber of Commerce is here, too.
As you’ve heard in the earlier introductions, I’m here with former United States Senator Russ Feingold, who is our – President Obama’s and my special envoy to the Great Lakes region and who is working to produce greater stability and peace in the region. President dos Santos and Angola have provided important leadership, and I want to thank you, Angola, for the leadership an the participation and the help to solve conflicts that have gone on for too long.
But as I mentioned a moment ago, we’re standing in a place of enormous economic activity with great promise for future economic growth and development. I am accompanied on this trip by the president and CEO of the EximBank[1], Elizabeth Littlefield, because the EximBank[2] is very much a partner with General Electric and very involved in helping to support economic development here in Angola and in other parts of Africa.
In fact, though EximBank[2] we have just provided a $600 million, just about a $600 million loan guarantee that will assist in the purchase of a Boeing 777 for Angola. This will grow the opportunity of, obviously, more ability to have business and more ability to have trade, and also for people to simply come to be able to engage in some of the exciting things that are happening in Angola. In addition, Exim[2] is providing another $300 million or so of additional economic investment here in Angola.
So let me just say quickly why being here is important today. Africa is changing. Eight of the ten fastest-growing economies in the world are here in Africa. There is enormous opportunity for the people of Africa, the people of Angola, to be able to gain in healthcare, in education, in jobs, in the quality of life. And I know the government is very focused on how to provide for increased standard of living for the people of the country. That comes from fair and reasonable trade agreements where everybody benefits, where there’s an ability to create jobs. When a Boeing airliner is bought from Boeing, it creates jobs in America, but it will also create jobs and opportunity here in Angola.
General Electric has recently sold four power turbines to Angola. This is for a project in Soyo. And this will help provide the power that then generates the ability for hospitals, for schools, for homes, for cities, for stores to be able to grow and prosper. So we believe there are great opportunities on which we can build where, most importantly, Angolans will benefit.
I just spoke with the representative for ConocoPhillips, who tells me and the representative for Chevron – who tell me about the several thousands of employees. ConocoPhilipps is newer here, but Chevron has about 3,500 workers employed. So more and more Angolans are being trained to take on more and more different kinds of important jobs.
The first lady of Angola was in Los Angeles a number of years ago, and she was talking with the executives there about a disease here in Angola. A lot of people thought you couldn’t do anything about it. But Chevron, which had been working here for many years, stepped up and they talked with the Texas Children’s Hospital and they got care to be able to come her to help cure this disease for children. More than 3,000 children’s lives have been saved
So this is not just about business. This is about building a relationship between two people, two countries, and building a future. And when I look out at the economic energy out here in the port in all these containers and these ships and the work that you’re doing, I am confident that Angola, working together as you are now, will be able to help contribute to an extraordinary journey in Africa as a whole, and we will provide greater opportunity to everybody.
Thank you for the privilege. Muito obrigado. (Applause.)
[1] Elizabeth Littlefield is the president and CEO of OPIC.
[2] OPIC
But it’s a privilege for me to be able to be here, and I want to thank Foreign Minister Chikoti for his welcome and for the opportunity to be able to meet the president tomorrow and have a good conversation about the bilateral relationship between the United States and Angola. I am particularly pleased to be here with other representatives of the oil and gas industry, a representative from Chevron, from ConocoPhilips, as well as from ExxonMobil – Esso, as you call it here. And I’m very grateful that the representative from the U.S.-Angola Chamber of Commerce is here, too.
As you’ve heard in the earlier introductions, I’m here with former United States Senator Russ Feingold, who is our – President Obama’s and my special envoy to the Great Lakes region and who is working to produce greater stability and peace in the region. President dos Santos and Angola have provided important leadership, and I want to thank you, Angola, for the leadership an the participation and the help to solve conflicts that have gone on for too long.
But as I mentioned a moment ago, we’re standing in a place of enormous economic activity with great promise for future economic growth and development. I am accompanied on this trip by the president and CEO of the EximBank[1], Elizabeth Littlefield, because the EximBank[2] is very much a partner with General Electric and very involved in helping to support economic development here in Angola and in other parts of Africa.
In fact, though EximBank[2] we have just provided a $600 million, just about a $600 million loan guarantee that will assist in the purchase of a Boeing 777 for Angola. This will grow the opportunity of, obviously, more ability to have business and more ability to have trade, and also for people to simply come to be able to engage in some of the exciting things that are happening in Angola. In addition, Exim[2] is providing another $300 million or so of additional economic investment here in Angola.
So let me just say quickly why being here is important today. Africa is changing. Eight of the ten fastest-growing economies in the world are here in Africa. There is enormous opportunity for the people of Africa, the people of Angola, to be able to gain in healthcare, in education, in jobs, in the quality of life. And I know the government is very focused on how to provide for increased standard of living for the people of the country. That comes from fair and reasonable trade agreements where everybody benefits, where there’s an ability to create jobs. When a Boeing airliner is bought from Boeing, it creates jobs in America, but it will also create jobs and opportunity here in Angola.
General Electric has recently sold four power turbines to Angola. This is for a project in Soyo. And this will help provide the power that then generates the ability for hospitals, for schools, for homes, for cities, for stores to be able to grow and prosper. So we believe there are great opportunities on which we can build where, most importantly, Angolans will benefit.
I just spoke with the representative for ConocoPhillips, who tells me and the representative for Chevron – who tell me about the several thousands of employees. ConocoPhilipps is newer here, but Chevron has about 3,500 workers employed. So more and more Angolans are being trained to take on more and more different kinds of important jobs.
The first lady of Angola was in Los Angeles a number of years ago, and she was talking with the executives there about a disease here in Angola. A lot of people thought you couldn’t do anything about it. But Chevron, which had been working here for many years, stepped up and they talked with the Texas Children’s Hospital and they got care to be able to come her to help cure this disease for children. More than 3,000 children’s lives have been saved
So this is not just about business. This is about building a relationship between two people, two countries, and building a future. And when I look out at the economic energy out here in the port in all these containers and these ships and the work that you’re doing, I am confident that Angola, working together as you are now, will be able to help contribute to an extraordinary journey in Africa as a whole, and we will provide greater opportunity to everybody.
Thank you for the privilege. Muito obrigado. (Applause.)
[1] Elizabeth Littlefield is the president and CEO of OPIC.
[2] OPIC
Saturday, August 11, 2012
U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK APPROVES $1.5 BILLION TO HELP U.S. EXPORTS TO AFRICA
FROM: U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANKEx-Im Bank Approves Record $1.5 Billion in Financing of U.S. Exports to Sub-Saharan Africa in First Three Quarters of FY 2012
Ex-Im Bank Expands Cover Policy in Cameroon, Ethiopia, Tanzania and Angola
WASHINGTON, D.C. – In the first three quarters of FY 2012, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) approved a historic $1.5 billion in financing to support U.S. exports to sub-Saharan Africa, surpassing the previous record of $1.4 billion for the entire year in FY 2011.
The increase was driven by export growth in several sectors, including machinery, vehicles and parts, commodities and aircraft. Two of the top markets for U.S. exports in the region are South Africa and Nigeria, which are among Ex-Im Bank’s nine key country markets.
"Proportionately, Ex-Im Bank supports more U.S. exports to sub-Saharan Africa than it does to the world at large. Last year, we financed 6.7 percent of U.S. exports to this region. With this new record in sub-Saharan authorizations already achieved in FY 2011, we are on target to increase that percentage," said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg.
"Sub-Saharan Africa is a priority region because many countries have strong prospects for long-term economic growth and infrastructure development. We want to help more U.S. exporters increase their sales to this emerging region," he added.
In 2012, Ex-Im Bank expanded its cover policies in four sub-Saharan African countries: Cameroon (opened for long-term in the public sector), Ethiopia (opened for short-term and medium-term in both the public and private sectors), Tanzania (opened for long-term in the public sector) and Angola (opened for long-term in the private sector). The cover policies changes were approved by the Bank’s board of directors, following upon country-risk upgrades determined through an interagency country-risk review process.
Ex-Im Bank Chairman Hochberg, Vice Chair Wanda Felton and Bank staff conducted a business-development mission in sub-Saharan Africa from August 6 – 10, visiting South Africa and Mozambique. The trip included participation in the U.S.-South Africa Strategic Dialogue with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in Pretoria on August 7.
On August 7, Chairman Hochberg signed a Declaration of Intent with the Industrial Development Corp. of South Africa Ltd. (IDC), indicating Ex-Im Bank’s interest in financing up to $2 billion of U.S. technologies, products and services to South Africa’s energy sector, with an emphasis on clean-energy technologies.
Recent Ex-Im Bank success stories in sub-Saharan Africa:
In April, Ex-Im Bank authorized a $37.2 million loan guarantee to support the export of U.S. road-construction equipment and related services by Hoffman International Inc. in Piscataway, N.J., to the Republic of Cameroon. Ex-Im Bank is guaranteeing a medium-term loan from Societe Generale in New York, N.Y., to Cameroon’s Ministry of Economy, Planning and Regional Development. The financing will support the purchase of 150 new and used machines produced by U.S. manufacturers that include Mack Trucks Inc., Terex Corp., Caterpillar Inc. and Grove US LLC.
In June, Ex-Im Bank approved a $7 million loan guarantee supporting the export of dredging equipment and spare parts from Dredging Supply Co., in Reserve. La., to Japaul Oil and Maritime Services PLC in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Ex-Im Bank is guaranteeing a medium-term loan from RB International Finance (USA) LLC in Bethel, Conn., to Japaul Oil and Maritime Services for the purchase of the equipment. The foreign buyer’s primary business is oil and maritime services in the upstream segment of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
The U.S. exporter, Dredging Supply Co., specializes in manufacturing custom-designed, portable dredges for a variety of uses. The company has a total of approximately 125 employees at its facilities in Reserve, La.; Poplarville, Miss.; Greenbush, Mich.; and Stoneboro, Pa.
About Ex-Im Bank:
Ex-Im Bank is an independent federal agency that helps create and maintain U.S. jobs by filling gaps in private export financing at no cost to American taxpayers. In the past five years, Ex-Im Bank has earned for U.S. taxpayers $1.9 billion above the cost of operations. The Bank provides a variety of financing mechanisms, including working capital guarantees, export-credit insurance and financing to help foreign buyers purchase U.S. goods and services.
Ex-Im Bank approved $32.7 billion in total authorizations in FY 2011 -- an all-time Ex-Im record. This total includes more than $6 billion directly supporting small-business export sales -- also an Ex-Im record. Ex-Im Bank's total authorizations are supporting an estimated $41 billion in U.S. export sales and approximately 290,000 American jobs in communities across the country.
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