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In furtherance of its commitment to develop local productive capacity and encourage export of Nigerian made products, the Bank of Industry (BoI) has partnered the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), on free training of local producers on the specifics of regulatory requirements for exports to America under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). AGOA was signed into law on May 18, 2000 as Title 1 of The Trade and Development Act of 2000. The Act offers tangible incentives for African countries to...

Government has pledged to revive the local textile industry to enable it compete favourably on the United States (US) export market under the Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA). The move follows Zambia’s failure to penetrate the duty-free AGOA market which has been attributted to the country’s collapsed garments industry. Commerce, Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Miles Sampa said Government was greatly concerned about the situation which had been caused by the underperforming local textile industry. Mr Sampa said Government...

The Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry welcomed the positive outlook for Foreign Direct Investment in South Africa and the positive approach to the growing trade between South Africa and the United States of America. The multiparty committee is in total agreement that the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has assisted in growing trade between the two countries. Committee Chairperson Ms Joanmariae Fubbssaid that, while many would argue that South Africa and other countries in Africa are the primary beneficiaries of AGOA, what...

The Ministry of Trade, through the Export Development and Agricultural Investment Fund (EDAIF), is to provide financial support to 25 selected indigenous businesses as part of efforts to grow local enterprises.The selected businesses will be drawn from the pharmaceutical, garment and apparel, handicrafts, agribusiness and poultry sub-sectors. The sector minister, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, said support to the identified sub-sectors is part of a deliberate effort to boost production and enable the country to take advantage of the African Growth and...

Many African countries, including Tanzania, are likely to miss the opportunity of enhancing their trade relations with the US through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which is coming to an end in 2015. Therefore, urgent measures are crucial by African governments to engage the US government to put in place provisions and conditions that allow countries like Tanzania to diversify their exports besides their usual oil and textile industries. So far, the AGOA list excludes some of the key export products with great market...

Since 2000, the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has contributed to more than doubling trade with AGOA-eligible countries. The countries of sub-Saharan Africa are increasingly viable economic partners that deserve focused attention and deeper engagement. If the U.S. fails to advance AGOA beyond a trade-preference arrangement, it risks losing ground to Europe and other nations eager to enter into more robust economic partnerships. Congress and the Obama Administration should work together to renew and upgrade AGOA to advance economic...

Zambia has requested UNECA and the African Development Bank to provide technical assistance in formulating an effective AGOA strategy aimed at maximizing benefits from US trade facility. Commerce minister Emmanuel Chenda said at the just ended 12th Africa Growth Opportunities Act (AGOA) forum held in Ethiopia that there was need to address the impediments that had made it difficult for the country to maximize its benefits from AGOA during the past 13 years. "The Zambian government in collaboration with various stakeholders will soon...

This week in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, U.S. Trade Representative Mike Froman and senior members of the President's economic team joined trade ministers, civil society, and business leaders from across sub-Saharan Africa to focus on "Sustainable Growth through Trade and Technology" at the African Growth and Opportunity Act Forum. The Forum also kicked off the process leading to AGOA’s renewal in 2015. As the President highlighted on his trip to Senegal, South Africa, and Tanzania this summer, Africa is experiencing historic growth. Six of the...

Your excellences, distinguished and honored guests, good morning. It is wonderful to be with you today in Addis Ababa, at the headquarters of the African Union, and most importantly, at the 2013 AGOA Forum. Before I begin, I want to take a moment to acknowledge and thank Florie Liser for her leadership and stellar work she has done on AGOA for many years now. I for one am grateful for the assistance she has provided my office, and the tireless work she has done to expand trade and investment opportunities for African nations. And let me...

“Good morning.  Welcome ministers and ambassadors, legislators and Members of Congress, private sector and civil society leaders, ladies and gentlemen.  It is my great honor to be back for the AGOA Forum.  Last year in Washington, I had the opportunity to share with you President Obama’s new U.S. Strategy toward Sub-Saharan Africa.   President Obama’s Strategy for Sub-Saharan Africa  “The Presidential Policy Directive (PPD) that we announced then calls for increased trade and investment to form a key pillar...

The United States is keeping a close watch on potential European trade deals with African nations as Washington reviews its own preferential trade initiative with the continent. African ministers and U.S. officials discussed trade relations at a forum Monday in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa. The U.S. is considering an extension to the popular African Growth and Opportunity Act, known as AGOA, an American law that allows sub-Saharan African countries to export certain products to the United States duty free. First signed into law in...

On July 31, 2013, the US Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) - a program established by the Trade Act of 1974 expired semi-surreptitiously; something that may not augur well for a more comprehensive American trade and investment program for Africa. Twin bills (download Bill H.R. 2709 alongside) in the House and Senate to extend GSP provisions until September 2015 simply did not come full circle, and anyone keen on an improved African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) – including President Barack Obama – has cause to worry. Itself...