Aggregate bilateral trade between AGOA countries and the United States

The data chart above records two-way trade in goods between the United States and AGOA beneficiary countries (  2022 AGOA beneficiary group) since 2000, AGOA's inception year. US imports from AGOA countries peaked in 2008, reaching similar heights in 2011. Much of this trade is driven by oil exports to the US. 

During the entire period under review, African AGOA beneficiaries as a group have enjoyed a trade surplus with the US. 

In 2022, combined two-way trade between AGOA beneficiaries and the US exceeded $46 billion, with US imports exceeding exports by $13.5 billion. AGOA beneficiaries exported $30 billion worth of goods to the US in that year, with $10.2 billion traded under duty-free AGOA preference. While the remaining exports were traded under normal tariff relations, the majority of this was in general duty-free categories. 

A note on the data: 

The first table provides an indication on the direction of trade between the United States and individual AGOA beneficiary countries, and shows the net value of US exports less US imports from these countries individually.

“Domestic exports” (as used in the third table alongside, and also in the  US-African countries' individual bilateral profiles) measures goods that are grown, produced, or manufactured in the United States, and commodities of foreign origin that have been changed in the United States. Goods may be changed in a US FTZ, from the form in which they were imported, or they may be enhanced in value or improved in condition by further processing or manufacturing in the United States.

This value differs from "total exports” which measures the total physical movement of goods out of the United States to foreign countries whether such goods are exported from within the US customs territory or from a Customs and Border Protection (Customs) bonded warehouse or a US Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ).