Ethiopia: Preparations for AGOA Forum 2013 'completed'
The Ethiopian Ministry of Trade, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the US Embassy and the African Union Trade and Industry Commission have announced (Monday, July 29) that preparations are now finalized to host the 2013 African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum which will be held in two weeks time.
According to the organizers registration of participants has now been concluded. The Ministry of Trade's Corporate Communication Directorate Director, Amakele Yimam, said "The Forum will be a good opportunity for Ethiopia to promote its products, reflect its positive image as well as attract investors and enhance conference tourism."
Amakele said that the Forum, aimed at promoting a high-level dialogue on trade and investment-related issues between the US and Africa, is expected to bring together over 600 government and private sector leaders and other stakeholders from Africa and the United States.
This year's Forum will be held under the theme: "Sustainable Transformation through Trade and Technology." Sub-Saharan African Countries are expected to push for the extension of the period to export goods free of tariff and quotas to the United States through the African Growth and Opportunity Act. The Forum will be discussing some sixteen main agendas relating to trade and investment.
Meanwhile the US Embassy in Addis Ababa has said it will be organizing a one day business-to-business 'matchmaking' program to take place on August 9 to coincide with the AGOA Forum. The aim is to provide opportunities for participants to meet with potential U.S businesses looking for Ethiopian partners in the areas of wholesale, distribution and sales. The event will be open to all companies but is expected to focus on the agriculture sector.
Read related news articles
Two years on: How Ethiopia's apparel sector is combatting AGOA uncertainty
During an exclusive side chat at Source Fashion in London, the president of Ethiopia's Hawassa Industrial Park Investors Association (HIPIA) Hibret Lemma, confesses Ethiopia is only just at the start of its shift away from relying solely on the US for its garment exports. He admits losing AGOA was a big hit to the country's garment sector and it slowed down growth considerably. However, Ethiopia's garment suppliers were hopeful that AGOA...
02 April 2024
US official reveals Ethiopia’s request for AGOA eligibility ‘still pending’, decision unlikely at upcoming forum
A US State Department official has disclosed that the decision to reinstate Ethiopia’s eligibility for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is “still pending”. Constance Hamilton, Assistant US Trade Representative for Africa, made this statement during a digital press briefing held on Thursday. “Those decisions are still pending,” Ms Hamilton told journalists from the continent, and that “there probably will not be...
27 October 2023
State Secretary Blinken praises Ethiopia on Tigray peace, no return to trade programme yet
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken praised Ethiopia on Wednesday for its progress in implementing a peace deal to end the Tigray conflict, but stopped short of ushering the country back into a U.S. trade programme. Visiting Ethiopia to repair relations that were strained by the two-year war in the northern region, Blinken met with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and discussed ongoing efforts to solidify peace, restore basic services and address...
13 March 2023
Ethiopia asks US to reinstate AGOA trade benefits as US Secretary of State Blinken heads to Addis, Niger
Ethiopia is asking the Joe Biden administration to reinstate its duty-free access to the US market, arguing that “exceptional circumstances” warrant an immediate re-examination of its suspension just as Secretary of State Antony Blinken heads to Addis Ababa to discuss the cessation of hostilities in Tigray. The Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) terminated Ethiopia’s participation in the African Growth and Opportunity Act...
09 March 2023
Kenya 'reaps Sh10 billion after Ethiopia's ban from AGOA deal'
Kenya earned an additional Sh10.2 billion from its exports to the US as Nairobi reaped big from Ethiopia’s suspension from a duty-free trade pact. Last year, Kenya’s exports to the US — mostly apparel were valued at Sh59.6 billion, a jump of more than a fifth from Sh49.4 billion in 2020 as Kenyan traders sold more goods through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), a free trade agreement between Washington and select African...
24 May 2022
US Senator requests return of Ethiopia to AGOA
A U.S senator has requested the senate to return Ethiopia to AGOA as it has been progressing in many aspects. U.S. Senator from Virginia Mark Warner said the U.S. should strengthen and improve the trade relationship between Africa specifically Ethiopia. The Ethiopian government has been pending progress in many aspects, especially the ceasefire. The trade relation between Africa specifically with Ethiopia is important. “We do that...
05 April 2022
In Ethiopia, Guinea and Mali, fears rise over losing duty-free access to US market
For Sammy Abdella, the new year has brought bad tidings: the prospect of a steep drop in sales of scarves, rugs, baskets and other textile goods produced by Sammy Handmade in Ethiopia. “The U.S. market is our main destination,” said Abdella, who estimates it accounts for nearly two-thirds of sales for his Addis Ababa-based home decor and fashion company. “So, losing that put us in a very, you know, bad situation.” The source of...
20 January 2022
US takes Ethiopia, Mali, Guinea off AGOA program
The United States on Saturday cut Ethiopia, Mali and Guinea from access to a duty-free trade program, following through on President Joe Biden's threat to do so over accusations of human rights violations and recent coups. "The United States today terminated Ethiopia, Mali and Guinea from the AGOA trade preference program due to actions taken by each of their governments in violation of the AGOA Statute," the U.S. Trade Representative's...
01 January 2022
Despite a late push, Ethiopia is set to exit the US trade pact
Despite a last-minute drive backed by diaspora members who fear that Washington may lose an ally, Ethiopia is likely to lose important commercial privileges in the United States on January 1 due to human rights concerns. President Joe Biden said on November 2 that Ethiopia, a longtime US ally and the continent’s second most populous country, will be removed from the African Growth and Opportunity Act in the New Year, citing “grave...
30 December 2021
US President terminates AGOA preferences for Ethiopia, Mali and Guinea
U.S. President Joe Biden announced yesterday that he has “determined that Ethiopia, Guinea, and Mali do not meet” the AGOA requirements described in section 506A(a)(1) and has proceeded to “terminate the designation of the three countries as beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries …effective January 1, 2022.” On November 21, the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs lamented the impending decision by the U.S. to remove Ethiopia...
24 December 2021
Senator Van Hollen, Representative Bass urge Biden Administration to reconsider Ethiopia's suspension from AGOA
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-Calif.) urged President Biden to reconsider his Administration’s November 2, 2021 decision to terminate Ethiopia’s designation as a beneficiary country under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) at the end of this year. As the lawmakers note in their letter (download a copy at the link alongside), this decision will hurt the nation’s most vulnerable...
23 December 2021