WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The United States reached a Cooperation Agreement with the East African Community (EAC), said the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) on Thursday.

Ambassador Michael Froman hailed the agreement "an important milestone" for Trade Africa, an initiative announced by President Barack Obama during a visit to Africa in 2013 to support greater U. S.-Africa trade and investment, beginning with the EAC.

The Cooperation Agreement will build capacity in three key areas including trade facilitation, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and technical barriers to trade, said the USTR.

"By tackling tasks in important areas, this agreement will help us lift the burdens that trade barriers impose, unlocking opportunity on both our continents," said Froman.

Trade between the United States and the EAC, which consists of Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda, reached 2.8 billion U.S. dollars in 2014, rising 52 percent compared with 2013, according to USTR data.

Source: Xinhua

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