Uganda: Museveni Hails US Over AGOA
Export Board of Zambia (EBZ) executive director Glyne Michelo has said the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) is not only about the textile industry.
Speaking when he toured Unity Garments with US Ambassador to Zambia, Martin Brennan, in Ndola on Friday, Michelo said Zambia is expected to increase her floricultural and horticultural exports to the USA once the pest risk assessment (PRA) was completed before the end of next year.
"A positive outcome of the PRA will spur increased production in the floricultural and horticultural sectors thereby increasing employment and reducing poverty," he said.
Michelo said currently, only snow peas were being exported, having met the PRA.
He said AGOA was an opportunity for growth especially for the companies that export products qualifying under the legislation.
"It is an opportunity that is supporting investment, economic diversification and expansion of the export base by providing market access to non-traditional products. Overally, it is an opportunity for socio-economic development," he said.
Michelo said increased investment and an expanded and diversified export base meant increased employment and reduced poverty.
But he said the extension of AGOA to 2015 would add considerably to the revitalisation of the textile industry in Zambia.
"Unity Garments has a substantial export order from the US which is being serviced. Zambia-China Mulungushi Textiles has ordered machinery to facilitate production of export quality garments under AGOA," he said.
Michelo said some Zambian companies had received assistance from USAID sponsored projects such as the Zambia Trade and Investment Enhancement (ZAMTIE) project and the AGOA linkages in COMESA project (ALINC) which among other things, centred on market development in the USA.
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