The US has encouraged African countries to look at it as among markets they could benefit from.

The US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Ambassador Johnnie Carson, said African countries should not only look at American products, but also consider the country as their market.

He made these remarks last Thursday evening when briefing journalists on the US policy on Africa through teleconference.He said the African Growth and Opportunities Act (Agoa) opened up the US market to 5,000 products from Africa to enter the US duty free.

“Most of the products coming in under the Agoa legislation are textile products, leatherwear and footwear. We also import automobiles from South Africa,” he said.

He noted that Africa's economic potential was well known. Perhaps less appreciated, but even more important, he noted, was the tremendous intellectual, technical and business capital represented by Africa's youth, women and entrepreneurs.

He said the trade could be substantially better and larger and hoped that it would continue to grow.

“We think that Africa has enormous economic potentials and it is the last economic global frontier. We are encouraging American companies to look at Africa as an investment and export destination,” he said.

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