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African countries have urged the US not to use the out-of-cycle reviews under the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) in a manner that restricts their ability to pursue policies in their national interest, in particular those that promote industrialisation. Agoa provides duty-free, quota-free treatment for more than 6,000 tariff lines from African countries into the US market. East African countries Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda — are being subjected to out-of-cycle reviews of their eligibility to partake in Agoa because they have...

LOME (Reuters) - Talks between African and U.S. officials to review the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) free trade deal ended on Thursday with no decision and a feeling on all sides that it has achieved little since it was set up. President Donald Trump's top trade negotiator Robert E. Lighthizer and other U.S. officials have been in the tiny West African nation of Togo over the past two days to discuss the Clinton-era trade pact with sub-Saharan Africa. Trump's "America First" campaign has seen him withdraw from the Trans...

One and a half years ago, 25-year-old Everist Mulindwa dug into his pockets and picked Shs1m, an amount he invested in second hand clothes, also called "Mivumba." He had just completed Senior Six and it seemed like the most viable business option for him. "It was easy to start so I took a million shillings off my savings and went into the business," Mr Mulindwa says. The trader in second hand dresses and blouses says there has been a change in his life since then because he is assured of retiring home with Shs100,000 in profit every week....

Togo's trade minister said here Tuesday that the United States' African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is "not used optimally" by African economies. Bernadette Legzim-Balouki, Togolese minister of trade and private sector promotion, said this during the session on the private sector and civil society at the 16th Forum of the AGOA in Lome, capital of Togo. The Togolese minister cited the lack of optimal use of AGOA regarding the challenges faced by the financing and business environment and regional integration. "We must then overcome...

Opening Statement of USTR Robert Lighthizer at 2017 AGOA Forum  As Delivered, August 9, 2017, Lomé, Togo   AMBASSADOR LIGHTHIZER: Good morning, Your Excellency, Prime Minister Komi Klassou; Trade Minister Legzim-Balouki; esteemed members of the Togolese Government; ministers and heads of delegations from the AGOA partner countries; and distinguished delegates and guests. I am honored to be here, and I join on behalf of President Trump and our Government in welcoming all of you to the 16th annual AGOA Forum. Before...

US President Donald Trump barely mentioned Africa or trade with the continent during his whirlwind campaign and has been mostly silent about the region since taking office. But the annual African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) forum being held in the Togolese capital Lome this week will bring together top US officials and African ministers. The gathering will finally shine a light on Trump's policies toward the region of 1.2 billion people. What is the African Growth and Opportunity Act? It was a trade deal inked between the United...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) and Trade Subcommittee Chairman Dave Reichert (R-WA) issued the following statements as the United States and Togo co-host the 2017 African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum this week to further strengthen important economic ties between the United States and Africa. Reinforcing his support for AGOA, Chairman Brady said: “The bipartisan 10-year renewal and enhancement of AGOA was the longest extension, ever, of the program. The strong bipartisan...

With the Trump administration's trade agenda focused on reining in China and renegotiating the North American Free Trade agreement, Africa has barely appeared on the radar screen. That could change this week as President Donald Trump's top trade negotiator and other senior U.S. officials head to the West African nation of Togo to review a Clinton-era free trade pact with sub-Saharan Africa, in the administration's first high-level delegation to visit the region. Looming over the two-day ministerial is China's growing role in African trade...

Office of the Spokesperson, Washington, DC, August 7, 2017 Senior Bureau Official for African Affairs Peter Barlerin will travel to Togo from August 7 – August 10 as part of the delegation led by U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to attend the 2017 African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum, held August 8-10 in Lomé, Togo. Established by AGOA law, the annual forum provides a platform for promoting stronger economic ties between the United States and qualifying sub-Saharan African countries that receive enhanced...

The U.S. has advised  African countries against banning importation of used clothing, for them to continue benefiting from Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) Scheme which came into being May, 2000. AGOA is a U.S. Trade Act aimed at significantly enhancing market access to the U.S. for qualifying Sub-Saharan African countries. Acting Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Africa, Ms Constance Hamilton, gave the advice in Abuja at a teleconference on the 2017 AGOA Forum, scheduled to hold between Aug.8 and 10 in Lomé,...

Next week, some 40 African finance and trade ministers, along with a large contingent of senior U.S. government officials will descend upon the coastal city of Lomé, Togo for the annual African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum. There will be more eyes on this year’s Forum. Aside from Secretary Ross’ brief address at the Corporate Council on Africa’s Annual Summit earlier in the summer, this will be the first opportunity to hear the Trump Administration substantively outline their approach to economic and trade...

For well over a decade, it has been increasingly difficult to find issues on which Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. can agree, but this is one: Since 2000, there has been a strong bipartisan consensus – in Congress and the White House – that increasing economic engagement with Africa furthers our country's strategic, financial, political and humanitarian objectives. Views and opinions from around the world. This widely held belief has led to many years of advances for all sides. Unfortunately, this progress may be about to grind...

Free Trade Agreements in Africa present an opportunity for African countries to improve intra-regional trade. Director of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) at the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) Claudia Furriel said the continent's free trade agreements, particularly the Tripartite Free Trade Agreement and the envisaged Continental Free Trade Area present an opportunity for African countries to improve intra-regional trade and diversify Africa's current trade model of exporting raw materials and importing of...

August 3 Briefing with Peter Barlerin, Senior Bureau Official for the Bureau of African Affairs and Constance Hamilton, Acting Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Africa EVENT: Please join us on Thursday, August 3, 2017, at 9am EDT for a telephonic press conference with Peter Barlerin, Senior Bureau Official for the Bureau of African Affairs and Constance Hamilton, Acting Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Africa who will discuss the United States and Togo co-hosting the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum in Lomé,...

A strategy document aimed at helping local companies to take advantage of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is being developed.   Link to other AGOA beneficiaries' AGOA strategies AGOA is a trade preference which allows countries in Sub-Saharan Africa liberal access to the United States (US) market. The strategy, which builds on Ghana’s National Export Strategy, aims to enable Ghana to make maximum use of opportunities under the AGOA, with emphasis on intensifying export development and diversification. A workshop...

>> AGOA Forum 2018 details will follow shortly << See AGOA.info's AGOA Forum section HERE.   Other links:   Official AGOA Forum Togo 2017 Website   Official Website of the AGOA CSO Network   Official Website of the AGOA Private Sector event  

Honorable Minister of Trade and Industry Alan Kyerematen, Honorable Deputy Ministers,  Heads of Private Sector Associations, Media representatives, Colleagues, Distinguished guests: Good morning.  I am pleased to be here today with business leaders who are working to forge connections and strengthen commercial ties between the United States and Ghana, and beyond.   Thank you to the Ministry of Trade and Industry for being such a strong partner in the quest to facilitate trade between our two countries. Your efforts will...

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce (R-CA), joined by Ranking Member Eliot Engel (D-NY) and Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Karen Bass (D-CA), introduced today the AGOA and MCA Modernization Act (H.R. 3445).  > Download a copy of the Bill as well as a separate summary at the links alongside.  The bipartisan legislation strengthens both the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the Millennium Challenge Act (MCA). AGOA is landmark trade legislation first passed in 2000 to develop a trade relationship...