The US Assistant Trade Representative for Africa, Florizele B. Liser, said last week that African countries supplying products to the US market through AGOA would benefit more by focusing on finished items.

Speaking at a press conference held last Friday at Sheraton Addis, Liser said that countries would take better advantage by supplying value added products other than unfinished commodities. "It is better to send pineapple juice than pineapple," she added

Liser said that there is a consensus in the US today to extened the duration ofAGOA for sub-Saharan African countries until 2015. The extension, she said, would give an opportunity to sub-Saharan African countries to actively be involved in the global market.

She said that Ethiopia's export trend through AGOA showed an increase of 38% as compared with last year. " Ethiopia sent 1.8 million dollar worth of products, largely apparel, to the United States never witnessed before.

She further said that efforts being made by the government to attract foreign investment was very encouraging.

Liser noted the United States would assist Ethiopia's effort to join the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Africa contributes 2 percent of the global market, of which one percent is through foreign direct investment.

Latest AGOA Trade Data on AGOA.info


Click here to view a sector profile of Ethiopia’s bilateral trade with the United States, disaggregated by total exports and imports, AGOA exports and GSP exports.

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