Accelerating implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) would speed the transformative impact on trade, investment, and trans-continental business. As emphasized by President Biden and Africa’s government leaders at the December African Leaders Summit in Washington, strengthening U.S.-Africa trade and investment partnerships is vital at this time given AfCFTA’s potential to supercharge Africa’s positioning to take advantage of shifts in global manufacturing. These welcome developments raise the imperative of the United States developing a clear, forward-leaning strategy to promote greater trade and investment ties with Africa.  Since 2000, America’s primary economic policy tool has been the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which offers qualified African countries duty-free access to the U.S. market for many goods.  As AGOA approaches its current expiry date of 2025, this is an important moment to explore what steps the U.S. and African countries can take to boost trade and investment.  In this session, companies and governments will offer their perspectives on critical enabling policies needed to accelerate AfCFTA implementation, re-thinking the U.S. approach to encouraging increased private sector-led U.S. - Africa business relationships, and what policies and approaches would have the greatest impact in sustainably deepening trade and investment ties and private sector-led economic growth that benefits the people of Africa and those of the United States.