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Africa's exports to the United States would be different if Zimbabwe was eligible for preferential treatment of its exports under the Africa Growth Opportunities Act (AGOA), an American business magnate has said.AGOA is a duty-free and quota-free trade preference regime granted to selected African countries by the Bill Clinton administration in 2000.Zimbabwe currently accounts for more diverse trade flows into the US than most eligible countries despite market access restrictions,Currently 39 sub-Saharan African countries, excluding...

The Nigerian garment industry can generate more than 6,00,000 jobs if it was harnessed properly, estimated Mr. Chief Lai Olumegbon the Managing Director of Lai Clothiers, who therefore, requested the Federal Government to revive the industry by initiating a policy to encourage private-public partnership (PPP) in this sector.As the garment industry is capable of generating employment for the teeming youths, Mr. Olumegbon said that the sector should be the focus of President Musa Yardua’s Seven-Point Agenda.The dearth of skilled...

Nigerian goods remain unattractive in the international market because of poor product finishing. Vanessa Adams, the trade and investment director of the West Africa Trade Hub said this in an interview with NEXT. It was at the opening of the African Growth Opportunity Act(AGOA) Resource Centre, at the Bank of Industry complex in Lagos on June 9.She added that the non-oil sector could only compete effectively with similar markets if there was better quality in labelling and packaging of Nigerian products.The sector has been receiving...

As the Obama Administration develops its Africa and trade policies, it is critical that it resists pressure from some development advocates and members of Congress to support legislation that extends the duty-free access to the US market enjoyed by African nations under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to all Least Developed Countries (LDCs).While the sentiment is commendable, the result of such a broad-brush trade policy would be disastrous for Africa, particularly those countries that have used AGOA to grow their apparel and...

A resource centre of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has opened in Nigeria's economic capital city of Lagos, with a charge by a top American official to the Nigerian business community to take greater advantage of the Act to get access to the vast American markets with their products."It is a wonderful partnership with the Nigerian government. This centre will provide resource materials for the business community who may want to access AGOA,'' said the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms. Robin Sanders.''Nigeria is the...

Malawi's exports to the US through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) have fallen for the last two years and government has said it will jack up its actions to improve the situation. Malawi reaped US$44.4m in 2008 as compared to US$50.8m it realised in 2007 and the country has so far amassed US$9.7m in exports in the first quarter of the year projecting a decline by 5% according to trade statistics. At the same period last year Malawi reaped US$9.9m according to United States International Trade Commission (USITC). AGOA is a US...

The following are the prepared remarks by Welile Nhlapo, ambassador of South Africa to the United States, at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, DC on Wednesday, June 10, 2009:Chairperson, Ambassador Howard WolpeAmbassador Jonnie Carson, Assistant Secretary of State for African AffairsHon. Naledi Pandor, Minister of Science and TechnologyYou're Excellencies, members of the Diplomatic CorpseFellow CompatriotsDistinguished Guests, Ladies and GentlemenAllow me to first thank the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars for bringing...

“Open trade and international investment are the surest and fastest ways for Africa to make progress,” President Bush said when he signed an extension to the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) in 2004. Originally signed into law in 2000, AGOA removes US quotas and duties for thousands of products coming from some 40 sub-Saharan African countries.AGOA has led to an overall increase of 8% in non-oil exports to the US, according to recent research. And Madagascar has been one of the program’s clearest success stories. The island...

“Open trade and international investment are the surest and fastest ways for Africa to make progress,” President Bush said when he signed an extension to the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) in 2004. Originally signed into law in 2000, AGOA removes US quotas and duties for thousands of products coming from some 40 sub-Saharan African countries.AGOA has led to an overall increase of 8% in non-oil exports to the US, according to recent research. And Madagascar has been one of the program’s clearest success stories. The island...

It has been the recurrent refrain of every government in the last three decades to reduce the nation’s dependence on crude oil as a major foreign exchange earner. The Federal Government at every opportunity would promise to revive the non-oil sector to no avail. The administration of President Umaru Yar’Adua has been no exception. Despite its well publicised campaign to revive the sector, it is neglecting the textile industry.The United States, for example, has enacted a legislation, the African Growth opportunity Act (AGOA), which...

There has long been talk that the US was preparing to walk away from talks on the proposed agreement, and the speculation finally ended last month when the US government announced that it would not revive negotiations. While on a visit to SA, US Trade Representative Ron Kirk said the Barack Obama administration would instead focus on implementing separate agreements with Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) member countries. The US is SA’s biggest export market and the third-largest source of imported goods and services, according to the...

Other developing countries that have successfully grown their auto sector have shown that the key to developing the automotive sector is through a long-term investment in individuals and the higher education sector to ensure the development of local capacity in knowledge, skills, and resources for competing in the global market place. As part of the setting up of the first passenger vehicle manufacturing plants in Nigeria in 1975, the essential features of the technology agreement between the Federal Government and PAN/VWON were that: PAN...

Ghana's exports to the US under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) fell last year and continued to fall Into the first quarter of this year.Ghana's total exports under AGOA to the US market stood at US$42.2 million In 2008, which was a 38.4 percent decline from the US$68.6 million recorded in 2007.From January to March this year, the country's total value exported under the scheme was US$2.5 million, representing a momentous 86 percent decline over the US$18.1 million recorded In the first quarter of 2008.Ghana's main export...

The skies will soon become a lot friendlier towards an East African country, as a major U.S. airline prepares to shave 18-hours off of commercial flights to the economic hub bolstering not only the country’s tourism but its trade with the United States.Next month, Delta Air Lines Inc. will offer direct flights to Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta, Ga. The new service will cut the 30-hour flight down to 12-hours. Reuters reported earlier this month that Kenya’s Prime Minister Raila...

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Hannah Tetteh, has urged export-ready companies to build their export capacity to meet US market standards and take full advantage of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).She made the observation in an interview with the Business & Financial Times after she held discussions with Ghanaian companies at a round-table hosted by the USAID's West Africa Trade Hub in Accra last week.The round-table included the directors of ten export-­ready companies that work in areas the Trade Hub focuses on -...

African-American relations appear set for a more beneficial phase as the Barack Obama administration has unfolded its economic, social and political agenda for the continent.Citing historical linkage, trade, especially in oil between America and Africa, Washington says that it is determined to assist African leaders develop the region.The U.S. particularly singled out the resolution of the protracted conflicts in the bloc as a priority of the Obama government.At a gala reception in Washington to mark the beginning of "Africa Week", a meeting...

"High-level engagement has already started" between the Obama administration and Africa, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson said May 19.Speaking at a gala reception in Washington marking the beginning of "Africa Week," Carson said: "Most of the Obama administration's Africa team is in place, and we are gearing up. We will continue to build on and strengthen the strong bipartisan consensus in Congress and among the people of America that has motivated U.S. policy towards Africa.""Over the next four years, we will...

South Africa unveiled a plan on Thursday to help the struggling textile sector, a key employer, to better compete with cheap Chinese imports.The department of trade and industry (DTI) said in a statement it would grant loans with preferential lending rates to textile firms wanting to upgrade equipment and would encourage cost-sharing within the industry.It would also crack down on illegal imports of cheap textiles from Asia, which have already put several South African companies out of business and forced others to cull jobs, and would cut...

US President Barack Obama will skip Kenya in his July maiden tour of Africa since his inauguration because of the slow pace of political reforms, Ambassador Michael Ranneberger has revealed.And to add salt to injury, Obama will still not come to Kenya in August as earlier expected, thanks to squabbling in the Grand Coalition Government and the obvious schemes to stall key reforms.A source at the US Embassy told The Standard last night that Obama will instead be represented by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the African Opportunity for...

President Yoweri Museveni has invited Iranian businessmen to invest in Uganda and benefit from the Africa’s 900 million people market.The President, during his three-day visit to Iran that ended on Sunday, told the Iranian traders that if they invested in Uganda they would be able to export to the US and the European Union quota and tariff free.Uganda is benefiting from the African Growth and Opportunity ACT (AGOA) law of the US and EBA (everything but arms) policy of Europe.Museveni said they would also be able to export finished products...

President Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States of America, will pay a 2-day visit to Ghana early July 10 to 11.Accompanied by his wife Michelle, Ghana will be the first African country being visited by the President of the world’s super power, since taking over the White House some four months ago.An official statement from the White House and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which disclosed the event, added that the visit would be sequel to similar trips to Italy and Russia.The visit has been described as auspicious by a...

The US Government will double its aid to Africa during President Barack Obama’s presidency to cushion against the financial crisis, Mrs Ronnie Goldberg, the Executive Vice-President of the United States Council for International Business has said.Speaking during the African Employers Conference in Nairobi yesterday, Goldberg said the US would strengthen the African Growth Opportunity Act (Agoa)."Although US aid to Africa increased significantly under the Bush administration, President Obama has promised to double it by the end of his first...

The US Ambassador to Madagascar, Niels Marquardt, articulated the position of the international community regarding the necessity of Madagascar's Presidential Elections this year.Rejecting the International Community viewpoint, the coup Government sees this as an embarrassment and may eject the Ambassador from the country.Madagascar Prime Minister Monja taunted the US Ambassador, during a public speech in Belo sur Tsiribihina last week, saying he was welcome to leave at any time, if he didn't like what was going on. "He said Americans were...

The Obama administration won’t revive talks on a free trade accord with southern Africa and will instead focus on implementing separate agreements to bolster economic ties, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said.Free trade negotiations with South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland, which began in 2003, were suspended in 2006 on complaints the U.S. was not willing to make enough concessions.“After four or five rounds of negotiations it became increasingly apparent that we were approaching this through very different...

Someone in the Obama Administration may be reading THISDAY. Readers will recall that, back in January, I predicted that once members of Obama’s trade team were in place, they would utilise existing avenues of communication and continue the dialogue of their predecessors. In late March, newly-confirmed U.S. Trade Representative Kirk met, on separate occasions, with Mozambican Minister Fernando and Nigerian Minister Udenwa to discuss implementation of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), World Trade Organisation (WTO)...

A prolonged global recession could have negative effects on performance of companies located within the country’s Export Processing Zones (EPZs), leading to possible layoffs and a drop in foreign exchange earnings."We have already seen our key export markets coming down by between 20 and 30 per cent due to global recession," says Godino Mwasaru, the chief executive officer, Vermont EPZ (Kenya) Ltd.Dealing in preserved natural flowers and foliages, Vermont has its main markets in Japan for bulk roses and Russia floral arrangements, in...

Kenya’s textile manufacturing industry - until recently one of the fastest growing segments of the economy - is caving in to competitive pressure in key export markets, taking with it thousands of jobs that analysts say will take years to recover.Data from the Kenya Apparel Manufacturers and Exporters Association (KAMEA) indicates that the industry, which four years ago had 36 players and employed more than 32,000 people, has shed nearly three quarters of those jobs after 21 players closed shop.Industry insiders say a third of the...

In what may come as a shock to many, President Barack Obama’s designated top diplomat for Africa has confirmed that the new administration will adhere to the same policies that were pursued during the Bush era.The confirmation came last week, the milestone of President Obama’s first 100 days in office, during the confirmation hearings of Johnnie Carson, nominated to serve as Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs.At the hearings Carson, a former US ambassador to Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe, had a simple explanation why the...

Top Rwandan and United States of America trade officials met in Kigali recently to address reports of declining trade. The meeting followed reports that trade between the two countries has been falling since the beginning of the year.The US delegation was headed by the Assistant US Trade Reprehensive for Africa, Ms. Florizelle Liser and hosted by Rwanda's Trade and Industry Minister, Ms. Monique Nsanzabaganwa.Rwanda-US trade is laid on the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) signed in 2006 and the now nine-year-old African Growth...

Trade Minister Amos Kimunya says the current global economic crisis could affect the local economy.Kimunya who addressed the American Chamber of Commerce of Kenya, monthly luncheon however said, there are signs of an early recovery that could see Kenya's economic growth rise to 3 per cent from the envisaged 2 per cent this year.Kimunya said the local economy's rebound will depend on how fast the worst hit markets around the globe recover from the devastating effects of the economic recession."The financial crisis may slow down Kenya's growth...

Rwanda's exports to the United States last year fell by 60 percent, a decrease that has largely been attributed to the surging global financial crisis.Trade between Rwanda and the US (see links to trade data below) is facilitated by a framework called the US- Rwanda Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) that was signed in 2006.According to the Private Sector Federation (PSF) the export revenue from the U.S reduced from of about Rfw 5bn in 2007 to Rfw 2bn in 2008 (Freight On Board)."The fall is largely attributed to the financial...

Kenya has managed to develop two products for export to the United States of America.This, however, is still a long way short of the 6,000 products it can export to America under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), Trade Minister Amos Kimunya has said.He said though the country was the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to benefit from the US-Government sponsored Agoa that gives duty and quota free market access to 38 African countries, exporters have failed to fully utilise the facility.The Act was launched in October 2000 as a...

United States President Barack Obama could visit Kenya as early as August this year to attend the Eighth forum of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa).The Sunday Nation has learnt that Mr Obama may use the Agoa conference to make his first trip to the African continent since he was elected US President.A Ministry of Foreign Affairs official said Mr Obama could also visit the country during the 9th Leon H. Sullivan Summit scheduled to be held in July 2010.The summit is to be attended by an estimated 1,500 African-American...

The US has unveiled a US$84 million (Sh6.72 billion) blueprint to boost economic growth and food security in east and central Africa.The four-year Competitiveness and Trade Expansion Programme (Compete) aims to contribute to increased trade and competitiveness in the region and global markets by reducing barriers to trade, improving market access and furthering regional integration.Africa contributes only three per cent to the value of goods traded globally but the world’s economic superpower hopes to reverse this upsetting trend by...

The White HouseWashington D.C. Mr. President,The world has noticed your administration’s outrage at corporations that have continued to abuse public trust by engaging in financial impropriety in arrogant disregard of public sentiments during difficult economic times. Your government’s swift response to corporate greed and irresponsibility has forced companies like Citigroup to pare down its fleet of five jets to two and to back away from purchasing a new $50 million jet.In Africa, where we like to remember that you have strong family...

GCM and Associates Inc, USA, boss Jean Claude Mazingue explains that times are changing and the crisis will reshape the way US consumers will buy for a long time and Mauritius must adapt and seize the opportunities that these changes will bring.“US citizens will change their ways of buying, living and consuming. We must know who are the buyers of tomorrow. What they are doing and in what way their buying habits will change. To do so, Mauritius businesses must review their marketing strategies and focus their attention on the fact that US...

Meselech Habte – one of the over 70 participants in the training session organized by VEGA-Ethiopia last week, a USAID sponsored programme that promotes Ethiopian businesses using the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) - is engaged in producing health and beauty care products. She is among the businesspeople who aspire to have their products penetrate the US market; they hope the day-long training they took part in organized by the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Association (ECCSA) and VEGA-Ethiopia, would help them find...

Over 20,000 bee farmers in Zambia are expected to double their annual production once the country's "Bee Keeping and Honey Policy" is in place. Bee farmers earn slightly more than $3,000 for a ton of honey or beeswax on the international market. The Centre for International Forestry Research is collaborating with African governments to come up with policies to guide the production, packaging and marketing of honey-related products. The Zambian government believes raising bees will help pull hundreds if not thousands out of poverty. Honey...

The government will review the Export Processing Zone Act to allow for the export of services and enable the business processing outsourcing firms to enjoy tax incentives.Information permanent secretary, Dr Bitange Ndemo on Wednesday said the review will allow for the EPZ incentives like tax waivers to apply for the firms wherever they are located.“We have requested the ministry of trade to revise the EPZ Act through the miscellaneous amendment Bill to remove the problem that we have in the sector.” he said.The PS was speaking in his...

For nearly six years Ramatex Textile and Garment Factory barred government regulators from entering prime industrial premises the company leased from the City of Windhoek. Meanwhile, the Malaysian textile giant was polluting the area around its Namibian factory with salty wastewater. Evidence of the violations finally emerged after the company absconded and the city commissioned an environmental audit.Sam Hugo is 53 years old and self-employed. He lives at House Number 4, Amsterdam Street, about 50 meters from the now defunct Ramatex...

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki Saturday announced major plans to transform the Export Processing Zones (EPZ) to economic zones to attract investors into the lucrative export and manufacturing sectors in the East African country.Addressing the country’s top economic think-tank, the National Economic and Social Council meeting here Saturday, President Kibaki said the EPZs would be transformed into economic zones and would be set up in all the major cities and towns.“The cabinet has approved the transformation of the export processing zones...

Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi on Thursday March 19, 2009 received and held talks with US Acting Trade Representative, Ambassador Peter Allgeier.The primer and Ambassador Allgeier discussed on issues related to the existing trade ties between Ethiopia and the US. The two sides particularly discussed as to how to further enhance trade relations in area of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).The prime minister said though AGOA has a paramount importance to African nations, the countries could not benefit most from the act. Meles also...

Former President Mr Festus Mogae will serve as the African Presidential Archives and Research Centre (APARC)'s sixth African President-in-Residence from today until end of May 2009 at Boston University in the United States of America.A news release from his office says the programme is a Boston University initiative that allows former democratically-elected African leaders to spend up to two years in residence at the university.It faciliatate the former leaders' transition to civilian status by providing a venue that will value and utilise...

The US president Barack Obama is looking forward to joint efforts in promoting good relations between his country and the East African Community.President Obama has written to the Secretary General of the East African Community, Amb. Juma Mwapachu expressing confidence of working together with the EAC in a spirit of peace and friendship to build a more secure world.With its economy centrally linked to the wider Eastern and Central African market and potential to grow and expand into a significant centre of regional integration and...

'History in the making’: a phrase billowed throughout the streets of Washington, D.C. as 2 million visitors descended on the US capitol on 20 January 2009 for the Presidential inauguration of Barack Obama. As the first African-American elected into the nation’s highest office, President Obama has inspired many, though particularly those within the greater African Diaspora, whose realities are often shadowed by a history of social injustice coupled with lingering political and economic disenfranchisement. Moreover, President Obama’s...

The volume of African exports is set to drop by half as Europe and America roll out rescue packages for their bankrupt corporations laced with inward-looking trade policies that require them to buy raw materials from the domestic market, analysts said. The decline is expected to come from America’s insistence on using its bailout cash to buy local and ongoing labour market restrictions in Europe that have only tightened with the financial meltdown.African exporters are likely to be hit hardest by the buy American clause in US President...

African exports are set to drop by half as Europe and America roll out rescue packages to their bankrupt corporations with inward-looking trade policies, analysts said.The drawdown is expected to come from America's insistence on using its rescue package money to buy local and ongoing labour market restrictions in Europe.African exporters are likely to be hit hardest by the buy American clause in US President Barack Obama's stimulus package, which requires firms benefiting from the rescue money to source their raw materials from the domestic...

Continuing a trend of accelerated growth, Ethiopian exports to the United States under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) in 2008 more than doubled from 2007.From January to December 2008, Ethiopia’s AGOA exports reached USD $18 million, surpassing USD $8.9 million in AGOA exports during the 2007 calendar year. Total Ethiopian exports to the U.S. also rose 172 percent, to USD $152 million from USD $88 million the year before.“This is a huge accomplishment. Ethiopia is one of the few African countries to show such a steady,...

THE Minister of State for Finance, Mr. Remi Babalola recently said that the Federal Government would give the textile industry a N70 billion bailout not in cash but in the form of bank guarantee to enable the sub-sector get back into operation. Indeed, said the minister, an inter-ministerial group is already in place to bring this idea to fruition. This is too little coming too late. Two years ago, investors in the textile industry called on the Federal Government for help, but they were ignored until one after the other, Nigeria's textile...