U.S. House Republican Conference Chairman J.C. Watts said on Wednesday he will lead a delegation of lawmakers and business representatives to Ghana and four other African countries to discuss trade and economic reforms.

The trip, set for Aug. 26-31, will include stops in Mali, Ghana, Ivory Coast and Nigeria, the Oklahoma Republican said.

The delegation will include five other members of the House of Representatives and officials from nearly 30 companies including Coca-Cola Co., Exxon Mobil Corp., Halliburton Co., J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. Inc, Monsanto Co., Phillips Petroleum Co., The Procter & Gamble Co., Qualcomm Inc and Target Corp.

``I am hopeful that this trip will allow us to explore ways to forge new partnerships between the businesses and nations of Africa and our own country and improve millions of lives,'' Watts said in a statement.

In recent years the United States has tried to improve trade ties with African countries as a way to encourage economic and democratic reforms.

In May, President George W. Bush announced plans to convene a meeting of the U.S.-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum in Washington in October. The meeting will bring together ministers from 35 sub-Saharan countries.

Establishment of the forum was one of the requirements in the African Growth and Opportunity Act passed by Congress and signed by then-President Bill Clinton last year.

The act aims to open U.S. markets to countries that have embarked on the path to democracy and market economies and respect for human rights.