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The AGOA Forum that will be held in Lusaka next week will provide policymakers and business leaders an ideal opportunity to join forces and plan for the economic revolution in Africa, says US Ambassador to Namibia Wanda Nesbitt.Commenting on next Monday’s African Growth and Opportunity Act Forum that Zambia, Ambassador Nesbitt yesterday said the United States was ready to support African countries develop their economies through increased regional and international trade.US secretary of state Hillary Clinton, assistant secretary of state...

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will travel to Zambia, Tanzania and Ethiopia next month to discuss trade, development and other issues, a spokesman said Tuesday.Clinton, following a trip to the United Arab Emirates, will visit Zambia's capital Lusaka on June 10 for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Ministerial Forum, Clinton's deputy spokesman Mark Toner said."She will showcase this centerpiece of our trade policy with Africa and engage with government, private sector and civil society representatives from 37 different...

The 2011 U.S.-sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum (“AGOA Forum”) will take place on June 9-10, 2011, in Lusaka, Zambia. The theme is “Enhanced Trade through Increased Competitiveness, Value Addition and Deeper Regional Integration.” Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will attend the Ministerial Forum on June 10th, where she will engage with government, private sector, and civil society representatives from 37 African countries.AGOA has succeeded in helping sub-Saharan Africa become further integrated into...

The following transcript covers the special briefing by Johnni Carson, United States Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, which took place in Washington D.C. on 01 June 2011.MS. FULTON: Good afternoon, and welcome to the State Department. I’m very pleased that you could join us for a special press brief this afternoon on the 2011 U.S. Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum, known as the AGOA Forum. We’re very fortunate today to have with us Ambassador Demetrios Marantis, who’s the deputy U.S. trade representative,...

Eleven years ago, the government of the United States of America signed the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) to help the continent export some goods to the U.S. under certain concessions. Six years later, a report showed Nigeria fared badly in taking advantage of the U.S. initiative. A few days ago, a U.S. official spoke of an expanded initiative the Obama administration is working out with governments in Africa, of which Nigeria may benefit if it gets its acts right.U.S. Deputy Trade Representative, Ambassador Demetrius Marantis,...

The United States Export-Import Bank could this year spend more than US$1.5 billion on infrastructure development in 37 African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) eligible countries.US Eximbank executive vice-president and chief operating officer Alice Albright said they were keen to engage in dialogue with the public and private sectorswith emphasis on infrastructure development, mining, aviation and transport.'As a bank, we have the mandate to assist Sub-Saharan Africa. We will be happy to open discussions with the private sector, to discuss...

AGOA is the foremost trade and investment agreement between the United States and sub-Saharan Africa. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of African Affairs Johnnie Carson and US Trade Representative Ambassador Ron Kirk and other senior officials from the US government are scheduled to attend. The American delegation looks forward to learning more about African needs and discussing ways to advance the US-Africa relationship on trade and investment. The United States Congress passed AGOA in 2000 to...

The Africa Growth and Opportunity Act must be revitalised to remain viable, says the African Cotton and Textile Industries Federation.In a paper submitted for next week’s AGOA Forum that will be held in Lusaka, the African Cotton and Textile Industries Federation (ACTIF) stated that the Act needs to be reformed for mutual benefits.ACTIF’s membership represents the entire cotton-textile-apparel value chain from across Africa consisting of cotton farmers, ginners, spinners, fabric manufacturers and garment producers.The Federation said...

Zambia will from 8-10 June host the 10th annual African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum, at which a strong showing from the US and African private sectors, as well as representatives from civil society organizations is anticipated.Passed by the US Congress in 2000, AGOA is the foremost trade and investment agreement between the US and sub-Saharan Africa.In a statement, released through the US Embassy Thursday, US Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Johnnie Carson, said that after more than 10 years, AGOA remained the centerpiece...

The nation’s economy experts say they fear Nigeria will remain a mono-culture economy since it has failed to tap into the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) launched by the United States since year 2000.The much touted AGOA, launched by the US aims at facilitating a two-way trade arrangement between US and sub-Sahara Africa and by extension, allow for economic growth in the continent.Nigeria, stakeholders and experts lament, has continued to lose so much in terms of the huge revenue it should have earned from export of non-oil...

The Zambia Association of Manufactures (ZAM) has said 98 per cent of the booths in the Showgrounds pavilion have been taken up for exhibition during the forthcoming African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum.ZAM chief executive officer Roseta Mwape said about 25 companies and three associations had so far registered for the exhibitions, which would run alongside the Forum.In an interview in Lusaka yesterday, Ms Mwape said among the companies taking part in the exhibitions at Lusaka's Showgrounds were commercial banks, manufacturing,...

USAID Southern Africa Trade Hub (SATH) will hold an invitation-only textile and apparel buyer-seller meeting on June 20-21, 2011 at the Cape Town International Convention Center. The event will match regional textile and clothing producers with international and regional garment retailers, brands, and wholesalers. CCA is recruiting members to attend and participate in a series of pre-arranged 30 minute meetings between international apparel buyers, Southern African retailers, regional apparel manufacturers, and regional textile and garment...

The Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) has said regional integration is an important tool that can be used to further integrate goods and services and increase trade in the Africa Growth and opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum.CCA vice-president in charge of business development Timothy McCoy said for the American private sector, regional integration was important because it could be used as a foundation to determine the level of goods being traded in the region and internationally."A number of companies have taken keen interest in the progress of...

Trade-facilitating infrastructure development is set to emerge as a central theme of the upcoming African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) Forum that will take place in Lusaka, Zambia, next month.The forum, which is assembling for the tenth time, could attract up to 800 African and US government, business and civil society leaders, including US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Trade Representative Ron Kirk.Convening under the theme ‘Enhanced trade through increased competitiveness, value addition and deeper regional integration’,...

Export Processing Zones Authority is considering other market alternatives should the Agoa window close.According to the African Growth and Opportunities Act (Agoa IV) provisions, eligible sub-Saharan African countries are required to start using local materials or source from developing countries from September 2012 to qualify for the preferential treatment of its textile products.Currently, there are no restrictions of where countries get raw materials, with many relying on China and India.Kenya is expected to request for an extension next...

United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) will continue to forge partnerships within the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) forum and help develop infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa.The agency will also help diversify the agriculture support programme, which started last year.USTDA director Leocadia Zak said the agriculture programme, which was started last year under AGOA, was a success.Addressing African journalists through telephonic briefing at the American Embassy in Lusaka, Ms Zak said one of the biggest constraints of...

Zimbabwe is still not eligible for benefits under the Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) because it has not made any progress in promoting the rule of law and political reforms, a senior United States official said last week.Responding to a question during a teleconference on Tuesday, deputy assistant US trade representative for Africa Constance Hamilton said America would not remove economic sanctions against Zimbabwe until there was a definite move towards democracy.“State department officials said that as long as human rights...

The Obama administration wants to reauthorize the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which is set to expire in 2015, through 2025, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson says, citing the measure’s success in enhancing trade levels between the United States and the African continent.Speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington May 13, Carson said AGOA “remains the centerpiece of our trade and investment policy with Africa,” and has “made progress in creating jobs,...

The United States (US) government is discussing with members of Congress on the proposed extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the third country fabric clause and the admission of Africa's youngest country, southern Sudan.And the AGOA eligible countries have been advised to ensure regional economic integration approach since national markets were too narrow for the US investments and exports.Deputy assistant US trade representative for Africa, Constance Hamilton said the US office of African affairs took the calls for...

Experts at the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) mid-term review meeting have recommended for the extension of third-country fabric clause for 10 years and called on America to support Africa on matters of Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary (PSP). During the meeting on Wednesday, the technocrats said the third country clause in the AGOA which is scheduled to expire in 2012 should be extended because without it would have devastating effects on the African counties. The officials said this during a meeting held at the Mulungushi...

Kenya will be seeking an alternative market for its apparel products should the US Government fail to extend African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) provisions next year, the newly appointed CEO at the Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA), Dr Richard Mutule Kilonzo, has said.The present provision that allows lesser-developed AGOA countries to import textiles from outside the AGOA group to make clothing destined for the US is set to expire in September next year."Even though we are going to lobby to have the provisions extended, we must...

A womens' sewing project in Liberia, craftsmen in Ghana carving wooden stools and specialty food exports from Swaziland are perfect examples of the Obama administration’s efforts to bolster trade ties with African nations, says deputy U.S. Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis.But despite a decade of trade and investment under the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act, the real driver of trade between the U.S. and sub-Saharan economies, which surged 32% between 2009 and 2010, remains oil.The U.S. has struggled to catalyze economic growth in...

Agro related Exports from Sub-Saharan Africa to the United States under the African Growth Opportunity Act -AGOA - only accounts for one percent.Acting Commerce Permanent Secretary, Lubasi Sakwiba has attributed the poor performance of agricultural products export into the United States market to stringent and lengthy Pest Risk Assessment which is complicated.Mr. Sakwiba says this has discouraged a number of African Small Scale Farmers in taking advantage of the AGOA initiative.He says in order for Africa to benefit from the AGOA process,...

African countries yesterday called for a better deal with the US over the 10-year-old Africa Ministers conference on the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA).They felt the trade preference pact should benefit Sub-Saharan countries better.Speaking at the opening of the AGOA commerce ministers' mid-term review meeting in Lusaka yesterday, the African Union (AU), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and host Zambia said the preference trade deal needed...

The inability of Batswana entrepreneurs to take advantage of African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) despite incentives provided in the textile and clothing industry was a focus point of a debate at a discussion form for women entrepreneurs Thursday.“Although lack of access to credit poses a major challenge to many entrepreneurs to grow their businesses, a more fundamental problem has been their lack of exposure to business planning tools and models which would strengthen their case for credit,” said Banny Molosiwa, Permanent Secretary...

More than 60 Botswana women entrepreneurs convened on Thursday to sharpen their competitive offerings and better access export markets such as those provided by the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA). Organised by the American Embassy through the Southern Africa Trade Hub in conjunction with Women in Business Association, the seminar encouraged entrepreneurs to network and use each other's skills in order to better prep their products for the American market.Entrepreneurs from sectors such as textiles, agribusiness and handicraft...

High cost of transport and stringent quality standards have locked out most of Kenya's fresh produce from the American market in spite of the decade old preferential export window extended to African countries, market players say. Flowers, vegetables, and fruits are allowed duty-free access to the US market under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), but market players said high cost of getting their goods to the market has confined them to Europe. Kenyan exporters said the US was a “volumes” (mass) market whose buyers place...

The Africa policy community in Washington is abuzz with debate over the future of trade relations between the US and sub-Saharan Africa.Early in June, the US and African Trade ministers and business leaders will be meeting in Lusaka at the 10th summit of The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) forum.Agoa is a law enacted under President Bill Clinton in 2000 and enhanced by President George Bush in 2005 to increase US trade with, and investment into, sub-Saharan Africa. This law is set to lapse in 2015.Agoa has allowed for some...

Zambia has enjoyed economic growth of around six percent per year over the past decade, says Patrick Mucheleka, but the government is failing to translate this into social and economic development for the majority of citizens. The upcoming conference on least developed countries in Turkey offers an opportunity to recalibrate the country's approach to development.Mucheleka, who heads Civil Society for Poverty Reduction, a network of more than 140 pro-poor develompent organisations in Zambia, says the economic growth figures have to be...

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), Mr. Daniel W. Yohannes, has lauded Ghana for meeting the benchmark on good governance to qualify for a second compact under the Millennium Challenge Accounts (MCA).Ghana has already benefited from $547 million from the US government under the MCA for some development projects, including the ongoing dual NI highway that connects the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange to the Mallam Junction in Accra.The compact deadline for Ghana is scheduled for February 2012, but Mr....

There seems to be a great tendency to grasp at straws in times of economic stress; to laud anything that appears, on the basis of superficial analysis, to provide a glimmer of hope.And when the hope collapses in the face of reality, little more is heard of the source of the initial optimism.The government and most of the trade union leaderships have, all too frequently, been guilty of behaving in this way.Not that there is probably any malice involved, just wishful thinking, perhaps a genuinely mistaken belief or some self-serving and...

Uncertainty has engulfed the future of Kenya’s preferential exports window to the US as the market entry rules are set to change.The ‘third country rule’ of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), which allowed countries such as Kenya to export goods made of raw materials from outside national borders is set to expire in September next year, locking out Kenya’s textile from the US market.Agoa allows the export of about 6,500 products from Africa into the US without paying duty or being subjected to quota restriction.“Lapse...

An expert in Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has said the export of non-petroleum products to the US under the Act is rising and efforts are underway to help build capacities of African countries in coming up with exports from various sectors.Daniel Yohannes from US said although the oil export to USA under AGOA has continued to dominate at about 90 per cent, other products are recording increasing levels.He said there was progress in exports of goods outside oil which was good for Africa in penetrating the vast USA market.Mr...

A senior Zambian government official said African countries should increase agricultural exports to the United States if the countries were to benefit from the market preference under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the Zambia Daily Mail reported on Friday.Felix Mutati, the Zambian Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, said that meeting the huge demand in the U.S. market was a challenge for many countries, adding that the agro-producing countries should consider consolidating their products.“Countries need to put their...

There are many myths and misconceptions about the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), says Florizelle Liser, the assistant U.S. trade representative for Africa.On April 15 Liser was among a panel of experts at the Brookings Institution in Washington looking ahead to the 10th annual U.S.-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Forum (the AGOA Forum), scheduled for early June in Lusaka, Zambia. Other panelists included Stephen Hayes, president of the Corporate Council on Africa, and Felix Mutati, Zambia's minister of commerce, trade and...

The more than 300 investors from the United States of America (USA) who will be in Zambia for the Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) forum this year should consider investing in Africa.Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Felix Mutati said the American investors should be lured into investing in Africa as the continent offered a bigger market.Mutati, who is the 10th AGOA forum chairperson, said AGOA should not only be seen as an opportunity for African investors to penetrate the American market but as an opportunity for American companies...

As Zambia awaits to host the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) Forum this year on June 8 and 9, it is hoped it would rejuvenate trade between Zambia and the US under AGOA.Trade between Zambia and the US has increased to about US$1.4 million in 2010 from $121,000 as recorded in 2009.Consequently AGOA to mostZambian businesspersons has been interpreted as a commodity export stimulus package for Africa, giving it an opportunity and gate way to earn US dollars by trading with the US.Hence AGOA has been cast as a commodity based...

The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) structure has flaws which eligible African countries intend to address so that the continent gets more benefits, Commerce, Trade and Industries Minister Felix Mutati has saidMr Mutati, who is 2011 AGOA forum chairperson said African countries had decided to come together to put across their grievances.He said some of the bottlenecks surrounding the AGOA were presented to the USA Congress during the meeting last week in the US.He said African countries would next month meet in Lusaka to come up...

A trade delegation from the African nation of Malawi recently visited Miami for talks with government and business leaders. Miami-Dade County Commission Vice Chairwoman Audrey M. Edmonson and members of the Miami-Dade Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) hosted the visitors on April 1 at the Stephen P. Clark Center in downtown Miami. The meeting was part of Miami-Dade’s long involvement in working to strengthen trade and cultural ties with the African continent, according to a county statement. According to the...

The Federal government has promised to continue to encourage Free Trade Zones scheme as vehicle for developing industrial potentials of the country and the utilization of local contents as well as inducement of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).Minister of Commerce and Industry, Senator Jubril Martins-Kuye, said the Free Trade Zones scheme has generated millions of employment, encouraged technological transfer and value addition as well as drastically reduced youth's restiveness in the Niger Delta.While reviewing the progress of the Commerce...

An Egyptian paper manufacturing firm, Mintra, has urged Zambian companies targeting the United States (US) market to make their products environmentally friendly as it is a major attraction for the Americans.Mintra export manager Osama Mounir said in Lusaka at the Zambia-Egypt Business Forum and Exhibition that it was vital that goods manufactured for export to the US market met high quality standards and were also environmental friendly.He said there were massive campaigns across the world about preserving the environment.Zambia would this...

Amid increasing demand from the international market, Ethiopia is preparing to become the new frontier for the textile and apparel industry. Many buyers from the United States (US) are looking for local suppliers of new apparel fabrics.With the support of USAID’s Competitiveness and Trade Expansion Programme (COMPETE), it is planning to invite four buyers from the US retail market to Ethiopia. They previously focused on working with the textile and garment industries in China, but due to the increasing cost of cotton on the world market,...

The United States (US) should set up a laboratory and a product certification centre in Zambia to ease export under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), local economic analyst, David Punabantu has said.Mr Punabantu said yesterday that the local producers on the other hand should improve on both the quality and quantity of their products to be able to meet the requirements.In an interview in Lusaka, he said the Americans were strict about the quality of any product, hence the need for a laboratory in the country to ascertain the...

More must be done to highlight to US lawmakers the significant contributions made by the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which expires in 2015, to the South African economy, lobbyists said this week.Agoa grants duty- and quota-free market access for more than 7000 products to qualifying countries in sub-Saharan Africa. While Agoa's success is often questioned due to the dominant role that oil still plays in the export mix, the legislation has assisted the development of several other industries on the continent. In particular, it...

For the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to remain relevantand continue to drive export oriented growth, there should be a pushto promoting United States (US) private sector investment in Zambia.AGOA is a key tool which creates tangible incentives for Africancountries to implement economic and commercial reform policies thatcontributes to better market opportunities and stronger ties betweenSub Saharan Africa and the United States.The forum will create an opportunity to promote a high level dialogueon trade and investment related...

The country's textile sector kicked off 2011 with a measure of recovery, compared to its performance since the recession, with preliminary data indicating exports of P119 million for January.Last month's exports are the sixth highest in 22 months, a period during which the textile sector nearly collapsed under the weight of the recession, stiff competition from Asian rivals and reduced support from Southern African Customs Union Duty Credit Certificates.During the period, the sector shed more than 70 percent of the 8, 000 jobs it boasted...

AGOA.info will be providing updates on the annual AGOA Forum, to be hosted by Zambia at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka from June 7 to 10, in this news item. This is aside from regular new items appearing in the media in the weeks leading up to the event.[Update 06-06-2011The Official opening of meeting of Senior Officials takes place today, June 6, 2011 at 09:00 hours at the Mulungushi International Conference Center.[Update 05-06-2011The Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum Secretariat has commenced the...

The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) was enacted by the United States Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton on 18th May, 2000 as a component of the Trade and Development Act 2000.The Act seeks to enhance trade and investment between the United States and Africa by providing for one way trade preferences to products originating from eligible AGOA countries.AGOA builds on the existing Generalized System of Preferences program to allow eligible AGOA countries to export over 6,000 eligible products to the United States...