News - Agoa.info - African Growth and Opportunity Act

US-African trade lagging despite free access

Trade between the US and sub-Saharan Africa is in the doldrums despite a 2000 US law designed to boost access to the US market, a conference in Ivory Coast has been told. The African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), which in 2015 was extended to 2025, provides tariff-free access on 6,500 products to 39 countries, ranging from oil and agricultural goods to textiles, farm and handicrafts. Trade quadrupled in value from 2002 to 2008, a year when it reached $100bn , but fell back in 2017 to $39bn, according to figures compiled by the US...

08 August 2019

Joint statement between the US and the African Union concerning the development of the AfCFTA

Deputy United States Trade Representative C.J. Mahoney and African Union Commission Commissioner for Trade and Industry Albert Muchanga today signed a joint statement concerning trade between the United States and the African Union at the opening ceremony of the 2019 African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum. The text of the Joint Statement is below: The United States and the African Union share a common goal of enhancing the African Union’s efforts to increase continental trade and investment under the African Continental...

08 August 2019 | USTR

AGOA closing remarks by the US Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Nagy

Bonjour tout le monde. C’est un grand honneur de conclure officiellement le Forum AGOA 2019 à Abidjan. Tout d’abord, je voudrais remercier le gouvernement ivoirien d’avoir accueilli le forum de l’AGOA. I’m especially honored to be here alongside the Prime Minister of Cote d’Ivoire, the Honorable Amadou Gon Coulibaly. I’m always happy to come back to the continent, as I have a long and happy history living and working in Africa. With seven diplomatic postings, I’ve committed my entire career to Africa and its...

07 August 2019

South Africa: AGOA's positive impact felt in the Cape

Two hundred and twenty years ago, the second US President John Adams sent an American, John Elmsie Jr, to Cape Town to serve as the first US government diplomatic representative to the Cape of Good Hope. Elmsie’s presence was largely focused on commerce; he studied the local economy, reviewed regulations and worked to encourage US trade. Since Elmsie’s launch of our diplomatic relations two centuries ago, the Western Cape and the US’s trade and commercial ties have grown significantly. Today, the US is the...

07 August 2019 | Virginia Blaser

Africa wants one trade deal with the US, the US wants many

The US and Africa have different views on their future trade relationship when a preferential access deal expires in 2025. US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Tibor Nagy said in an interview Sunday his country favours bilateral trade agreements with African nations. A day later, African Union Trade and Industry Commissioner Albert Muchanga said the African Union (AU) favours a free-trade agreement with the US to replace the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa). “To replace Agoa, we would like to...

06 August 2019 | Katarina Hoije

Remarks of Ambassador C.J. Mahoney at the 2019 AGOA Forum in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

Deputy United States Trade Representative C.J. Mahoney delivered the following remarks at the opening ceremony of the 2019 African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum: Good morning President Ouattara, esteemed Ministers and heads of delegations from our AGOA Partner Countries, Secretaries-General and Commissioners of the Regional Economic Communities and the African Union, Members of our Congressional delegation, my fellow colleagues from the U.S. Government, honored delegates and invited guests, welcome to the 18th AGOA...

05 August 2019 | USTR

South Africa: African free-trade deal can help boost exports to the US, says Patel

The continent has the opportunity to align the new deal with plans to increase access to US markets. The establishment of an African free-trade zone will enable the continent to speak with one voice and potentially boost exports to the US, say SA’s trade and industry minister Ebrahim Patel says. Concerns have been raised about the future of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) under President Donald Trump's administration. Enacted 19 years ago, Agoa gives special treatment to 39 African countries by abandoning...

04 August 2019 | BEKEZELA PHAKATHI

US House Black Caucus to advocate extension of AGOA

The Majority Chief Whip of the United States House of Representatives, Mr James Clyburn, has said the Black Caucus in the US Legislature will advocate the extension of the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) to 25 years when the current agreement expires in 2025. He said it was the view of the caucus that America’s future with Ghana and other African countries should centre on trade and not aid. “We consider aid to be important with various non-profit groups, but when it comes to governmental approach, we will be emphasising...

02 August 2019 | BY: Seth J. Bokpe

Nigeria: Provide us warehouse in US, AGOA food exporters task Fed Government

Exporters of food products have called on the Federal Government to assist in providing enabling environment for easy export to the United States under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The exporters bared their minds at a recent Stakeholder’s roundtable meeting held at the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Apapa, Lagos. Organised by the AGOA Trade Resource Center (ATRC), the meeting featured Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Certified and licensed exporters during which participants exchanged ideas on best...

30 July 2019

US delegation reaffirms commitment to Ghana’s apparel manufacturing industry

The United States of America has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Ghana’s apparel manufacturing industry. This follows a visit of a high-level U.S Congressional Delegation including its Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, to Ghana’s largest apparel manufacturer in West Africa, Dignity Do the Right Thing (DTRT) located in Adabraka, Accra. Speaking to JoyBusiness at the visit to the DTRT Factory, the Managing Director of the manufacturing firm, Salma Salifu said her outfit with the support of the U.S. Embassy, is looking at increasing the...

30 July 2019 | Bismark Awusah

AGOA Forum 2019 - all the details and documents

Details about the 2019 annual United States - Sub-Saharan Africa AGOA Forum can be viewed in the AGOA Forum section. This includes logistical details and agenda information. Come back to visit as new updates are shared. Link: www.agoa.info/forum

29 July 2019

AGOA eligibility reviews 2019: Selected extracts from submissions

The public hearing, US Trade and Investment in Sub-Saharan Africa: recent trends and new developments, takes place today, 24 July, in Washington. The witness list can be accessed here . For background on the Hearing, see the USITC Federal Register Notice. Background report: U.S. trade and investment with Sub Saharan Africa: Recent developments. Extracts from selected advance submissions: Ambassador Sankatana Gabriel Maja. The Government of Lesotho, through the Lesotho National Development Corporation,...

24 July 2019

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