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Twist in planned AGOA renewal talks? (includes Audio)

Twist in planned AGOA renewal talks? (includes Audio)
New USTR Michael Froman, speaking at the Brookings Institution on 5 August 2013
Published date:
Tuesday, 06 August 2013
Author:
KEVIN KELLEY

The top-ranking US trade official said on Monday that issues of "reciprocity" will be raised at a US-Africa conference next week in Ethiopia that will consider renewal of the AGOA trade initiative.

The African Growth and Opportunity Act, which is due to expire in 2015, gives duty-free treatment to Kenyan textiles and many other African exports to the United States. AGOA is said to be responsible for creating thousands of jobs in the Kenyan textile industry.

But as a condition to AGOA's extension beyond 2015, American negotiators may press African countries to give the same preferential treatment to US exports to Africa.

Ambassador Michael Froman made clear in a talk at the Brookings Institution in Washington that the US is concerned about the “economic partnership agreements” that the European Union is negotiating with several African countries. These deals would permit European goods to enter African markets duty-free in exchange for the same treatment of African products sold to Europe.

Ambassador Froman said US "stakeholders are raising the question" of why European exports should enjoy such a competitive advantage over American exports which are subject to tariffs at African countries’ borders.

 

Listen to an audio recording of Mike Froman, speaking at the Brookings Institution.

 

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