Reps Brady & Reichert express strong support for AGOA as US co-hosts forum in Togo
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 commitment to Africa has been clear every time the Congress has legislated on AGOA since 2000. I am very proud to have been part of this effort going back to my time as Ranking Member and then Chairman of the Trade Subcommittee.
“I know that government officials, the private sector, and civil society in our AGOA partners have been working hard to make the most of the stability that this renewal provides. I urge everyone involved to enhance those efforts to make the most of the next eight years, and I pledge to continue to partner with you. I will work with the Administration to continue to apply the eligibility criteria and procedures established by Congress in AGOA because they make Africa a more attractive place to do business.
“I believe that our partnership through AGOA has done much to deepen our relationship and increase economic opportunity in Africa, and I know that with strong partnership, we can build on this success and accomplish much more.”
Chairman Reichert added:
“I have long been a vocal supporter of AGOA and was happy that so many of my colleagues in the U.S. Congress joined me in a strong bipartisan vote for its renewal two years ago.
“I am pleased that the location of this year’s Forum in Togo provides an opportunity to highlight the success of companies like Alaffia, which was founded by entrepreneurs from both Togo and my home state of Washington and continues to operate in both locations. Alaffia is making the most of the opportunities created by AGOA to build its lines of beauty and health products, creating good jobs and opportunities in both Togo and the United States.
“Alaffia is just one of many AGOA success stories.
“As we strengthen our relationship with the nations of sub-Saharan Africa, I see the AGOA eligibility criteria as an important catalyst, providing Africa with the tools to leap forward in building its economies, raising standards, and developing strong democracies. I look forward to working together to make the most of the remaining eight years of the AGOA authorization.”
View related news articles
Bipartisan lawmakers in Congress are calling for the renewal of AGOA
As President Joe Biden hosts nearly 50 African leaders in a summit aiming to boost U.S.-Africa relations, one prominent issue has circulated across the Hill: the renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act, which is set to expire in 2025. What is it? The 22-year-old program works to provide eligible sub-Saharan African nations with additional duty-free access to more than 1,800 designated products, with the aim of...
13 December 2022
US Senator requests return of Ethiopia to AGOA
A U.S senator has requested the senate to return Ethiopia to AGOA as it has been progressing in many aspects. U.S. Senator from Virginia Mark Warner said the U.S. should strengthen and improve the trade relationship between Africa specifically Ethiopia. The Ethiopian government has been pending progress in many aspects, especially the ceasefire. The trade relation between Africa specifically with Ethiopia is important. “We do that...
05 April 2022
Sen. Toomey: Administration’s failure to move FTAs forward comes at huge cost to US
During today’s Senate Finance Committee Hearing with U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, Senator Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) questioned the Biden Administration’s inaction on free trade agreements (FTAs) and the implication that FTAs are not a tool for the 21stcentury. On the importance of free trade agreements: “Every single presidential administration since Reagan has initiated negotiations on a new [free trade agreement]. They’ve done...
31 March 2022
US legislators seek to codify the Prosper Africa Act
In January 2022, representatives McCaul (R-TX) and Murphy (D-FL) put forward the Prosper Africa Act (H.R.6455) to codify the existing Prosper Africa initiative into law. This program strives to increase investment and trade cooperation among the United States and African nations. Since 2019, the initiative enabled almost 800 deals worth $50 billion. The codification of Prosper Africa will benefit the program by...
14 March 2022
US Congress: Representatives McCaul, Murphy introduce Prosper Africa Act
House Foreign Affairs Committee Lead Republican Michael McCaul (R-TX) and Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) introduced the Prosper Africa Act to codify interagency efforts and promote, facilitate and increase two-way trade and investment between the United States and Africa. “Advancing two-way trade and investment between the U.S. and African partners must be a key foreign policy priority,” said Rep....
21 January 2022
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman asks US trade commission to investigate impact of AGOA program
Today, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard E. Neal (D-MA) sent a letter to U.S. International Trade Commission (Commission) Chairman Jason E. Kearns requesting that the Commission initiate a fact-finding investigation on the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a trade program that fosters economic development in the countries of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Chairman Neal’s request reflects deep interest among members of the...
19 January 2022
Senator Van Hollen, Representative Bass urge Biden Administration to reconsider Ethiopia's suspension from AGOA
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-Calif.) urged President Biden to reconsider his Administration’s November 2, 2021 decision to terminate Ethiopia’s designation as a beneficiary country under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) at the end of this year. As the lawmakers note in their letter (download a copy at the link alongside), this decision will hurt the nation’s most vulnerable...
23 December 2021
Trade Subcommittee hearing on strengthening the US-Africa trade and investment relationship
(As prepared for delivery) Date: Wednesday, November 17, 2021 - 11:00am Chairman Blumenauer opening statement: Today’s hearing is the next step in this Committee’s ongoing work on the U.S. – Africa trade and investment relationship. We met with the President of Kenya as well as Kenya’s Ambassador to the United States to discuss trade matters. And, recently, we led congressional engagement with African trade...
17 November 2021
Two US Senate, House Republicans urge Ethiopia to 'correct coure' to avert 'revocation of AGOA benefits'
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ranking Member Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Michael McCaul (R-Texas), issued a statement (see text below) expressing their “hope that the Ethiopian government can correct course and avert a revocation of AGOA benefits.” The statement came as the Biden Administration is expected to announce its decision on Ethiopia’s eligibility to continue to...
27 October 2021
Togo's textile focused SEZ aims to create value-added textile supply chain
Togo’s ‘PIA’, a textile focussed SEZ, aims to create an eco-system for textile value chains and offer multiple incentives to foreign investors investing in the Textile Park. A West African nation ‘Togo’ recently established the Adétikopé Industrial Platform (PIA), a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) conceptualised by ARISE IIP, to unlock the growth potential and promote the industrialisation of Togo. Located along the strategic...
05 October 2021
US-Africa trade policy faces future uncertainties
US trade policy toward Africa is facing a conundrum. Much has changed in the two decades since the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) set the framework for trade between the world's largest economy and its poorest continent. Many observers advocate new policies to increase U.S.-Africa trade and investment, especially with Agoa expiring in 2025. Yet the policy path is less clear than when Agoa became law, and the prospects for a...
21 September 2021