Women entrepreneurs are important sources of innovation, job creation, and economic growth, and critical actors in every aspect of the agriculture value chain.  The U.S. Embassy is pleased to partner with the American Chamber of Commerce in Madagascar (AmCham) to empower Malagasy women entrepreneurs in the agriculture sector to access U.S. markets.  More than half of AmCham Madagascar’s member companies operating in the food...

08 March 2023

I’m honored to speak to you tonight, both as the U.S. Ambassador to Madagascar and as an honorary Member of the Board of AmCham. I have had the great pleasure to work with AMCHAMs around the world during my career and believe that this is one of the critical relationships for the U.S. government. Central to the United States’ goal of promoting peace and prosperity abroad is encouraging good governance and economic development.  Now...

23 November 2022

The AGOA.info Exporter Toolkit resources have been enhanced through the addition of brochures and infographics on AGOA-related subjects.  This includes many 'national' AGOA country brochures that provide an overview of a country's AGOA-related developments and trade performance.  Other themed brochures include those of a more technical nature (Rules of Origin, AGOA eligibility and review provisions), as well as more sector-focused...

25 January 2019

On August 26-30, the USAID East African Trade and Investment Hub conducted a buyer mission to Antananarivo, Madagascar for a large publicly listed U.S. apparel company. The U.S buyer engaged with apparel companies in Madagascar and identified several sourcing opportunities that could support its production of apparel and related fashion goods across several top brands.  “Madagascar’s private sector is recognizing and fully embracing...

05 September 2018

Madagascar may not be getting the same publicity as Ethiopia when it comes to the topic of sourcing in Africa, but the island nation off the southeast coast of the continent has a lot to offer that few are talking about. One thing that sets the nation apart for sourcing is its history in textile manufacturing. Madagascar had already been a go-to source for making apparel in Africa before a coup in 2009 saw the country lose its trade benefits...

21 March 2018

The suspension of Madagascar’s African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) privileges following its 2009 coup offers a natural experiment that allows analysts to study the impact of a tariff preference program on the recipient developing country, and then, subsequently, the impact of its removal. The situation provides two distinct but comparable states:  One with preferential access (2001-2009—the “AGOA years”) and the other...

18 February 2015

The AGOA (Title I of the Trade and Development Act of 2000, Public Law 106-200, as amended provides preferential tariff treatment for imports of certain textile and apparel products of beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries. The textile and apparel trade benefits under AGOA are available to imports of eligible products from countries that the President designates as “beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries,” provided that these...

15 December 2014

President Obama reinstated Madagascar's eligibility for African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) benefits, effective immediately, and withdrew Swaziland's AGOA eligibility, effective January 1, 2015. Madagascar Madagascar was removed from AGOA on January 1, 2010 following a 2009 coup d'état. Successful elections in late 2013 led to the formation of Madagascar's first democratic government since the 2009 coup. The United States has taken...

27 June 2014

The United States will not restore trade privileges to Madagascar this year, according to a statement received Saturday that cited human rights concerns and the failure to restore democracy in the Indian Ocean nation. Madagascar has been excluded from the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) programme since 2009 when then president Marc Ravalomanana was overthrown in a coup that left Andry Rajoelina in charge of a transitional,...

06 January 2013

The textile industry in Madagascar, an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa, has recorded 20 percent growth last year, the Group of Free Enterprises and Partners (GEFP or Groupement des entreprises franches et partenaires) has said. The increase in the sector's performance is mainly owing to a rise in exports of Malagasy products to the European markets, said Charles Giblin, President of GEFP. Mr....

16 February 2012

After more than two years of political crisis, Madagascar finally appears to be moving towards the restoration of democracy. A new prime minister has been appointed, and elections are planned for 2012. Donors who suspended aid to the impoverished island nation are watching these developments closely. "I think no one will be coming out of the woodwork unless they see that the Malagasy are serious about their transition," said USAID Country...

01 December 2011