US Congressional delegation visits Mauritius to assess implementation of AGOA
A delegation the United States Congress visited Mauritius March 26-27 to assess the implementation of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
The visit underscored the United States’ commitment to deepening the economic cooperation between our two countries and to support Mauritius’ continued utilization of AGOA benefits.
The delegation of eight members from the Congressional Ways and Means and the House Foreign Affairs Committees met with Mauritian government officials, including Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth, the Mauritius Export Association, and representatives from the business sector.
The delegation visited the local factory RT Knits and discussed opportunities and sectors that could benefit expanding trade and investment ties.
Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith stated, “The bipartisan delegation in Mauritius today strongly supports AGOA and is committed to working closely with the Mauritian government to see the program renewed. We look forward to working with Prime Minister Jugnauth to find ways to deepen our trade and economic ties in the future.”
U.S. Ambassador Henry Jardine said, “The key message that the delegation conveyed during their time here in Mauritius is that they are very supportive in seeing how we can renew AGOA. The Members of Congress were very keen to learn about the value and impacts of AGOA here in Mauritius.
The delegation said that they are going to take that message back to Congress and look at the considerations that need to be made in the case of Mauritius in particular.”
The AGOA program has been a cornerstone of U.S.-African economic relations, offering sub-Saharan African countries duty-free access to the U.S. market. Mauritius has been among the successful participants, with its diverse exports ranging from textiles to seafood benefiting significantly from AGOA. In 2022, U.S. goods imports from Mauritius totaled $285 million (Rs 13.224billion).
About AGOA
Enacted in 2000, AGOA provides eligible sub-Saharan African countries with duty-free access to the U.S. market for over 1,800 products, in addition to the more than 5,000 products eligible for duty-free access under the Generalized System of Preferences program.
To meet the rigorous eligibility requirements, countries must establish or make continual progress establishing a market-based economy, the rule of law, political pluralism, and rights to due process. Additionally, countries must eliminate barriers to U.S. trade and investment and enact policies to reduce poverty, combat corruption, and protect human rights.
For more information
Mauritius Trade and Investment Summary:
https://www.ustr.gov/countries-regions/africa/mauritius
AGOA Mauritius Profile:
https://agoa.info/profiles/mauritius.html
AGOA Eligibility Criteria:
https://agoa.info/about-agoa/country-eligibility.html
USTR/2022 AGOA Implementation Report:
https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/files/reports/2022/2022AGOAImplementationReport.pdf
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