Agoa.info - African Growth and Opportunity Act
TRALAC - Trade Law Centre
You are here: Home/News/Article/Gambia: Trade ministry, US embassy poised to improve bilateral trade, investment

Gambia: Trade ministry, US embassy poised to improve bilateral trade, investment

Gambia: Trade ministry, US embassy poised to improve bilateral trade, investment
Banjul, capital of Gambia
Published date:
Friday, 24 May 2013
Author:
FATOUMATA SENGHORE

The US Embassy Wednesday organised a seminar on Franchise at the Sunswing Hotel in Kololi. The seminar was designed to educate interested Gambian private sector operators on the procedures for acquiring a US Franchise and the rules and regulations of operating such a business.

Speaking at the occasion, the US ambassador, Edward Alford, said that his embassy and the Gambia Ministry of Trade have a common desire to increase US-Gambia bilateral trade and investment. He told the gathering that in the US, the private sector has over the past few decades, developed very successful service industries and a particularly strong anchor to this sector has been franchise, which allows individual entrepreneurs to open outlets in their home towns.

He explained that from fast foods to insurance providers, franchising allows both flexibility in management, lower liability and individual investment, paired with the marketing and logistical support from parent companies. "This has been successful throughout the United States and is quickly catching the imagination of entrepreneurs all over the world," he remarked.

He further stated that franchising continues to play a crucial role in the United States economy, by stimulating trade and investment and providing the needed employment throughout a range of sectors.

Ambassador Alford also said that it is about time that The Gambia had a US franchise business to serve its growing tourism and service industries. He then urged the country's private sector to take up the challenge and consider seeking out this partnership with US companies and bringing additional American brands to The Gambia. He assured that the US Embassy is here to help in anyway it can and will continue to provide all the necessary guidance and support to any businessperson who is committed to securing a US franchise.

On his part, the minister of Trade, Kebba Touray, said that the seminar demonstrates the strong desire and commitment of the US Embassy to promote solid business ties between the two nations. He recalled that in the previous years, the US Embassy in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade had organised a series of training programmes including the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which provides unparalleled incentives to eligible African countries like The Gambia to do business with the US.

According to him, such training programmes specifically target Gambian fashion designers. He thanked the US government for the opportunity, while also recalling the significant efforts that the US Embassy in Banjul has made over the years to support private sector development in the country. Minister Touray added that the seminar had a direct bearing and significant potential impact on several of his ministry's portfolios namely; enterprise, development, investment and trade promotion, and the enhancement of sustainable livelihood.

Read related news articles

Cameroon, CAR, Gambia, Niger see US AGOA status changes

Cameroon will lose its preferred trade status under the US African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) on January 1, following a US decision to revoke its status because of its human rights record. The October decision was confirmed through a presidential proclamation last week. Three other African nations also will see AGOA status changes, the White House said.AGOA affect market access, investment and reduced or eliminated tariffs on US...

31 December 2019

Gambia AGOA workshop: ‘US committed to expanding trade links with The Gambia’

The United States Ambassador to The Gambia, C. Patricia Alsup on May 9 presided over an African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) workshop in Banjul, using the opportunity to reaffirm the United States Government’s commitment to restoring and expanding its trade links with The Gambia. The AGOA workshop was organized in partnership with the Gambia Investment Export and Promotion Agency (GIEPA), and the United States Agency for International...

10 May 2018

US ambassador hails Gambia’s democratic progress

The US ambassador to the Gambia, Patricia Alsup, has commended the Gambia for regaining its membership in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and for being selected for a smaller grant programme by the board of the US government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). Ms Alsup said these milestone achievements are significant achievements that recognise just how much progress the Gambia has made since the transition to the...

28 December 2017

US restores trade benefits to Gambia, Swaziland

U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday restored trade benefits to Gambia and Swaziland under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office said. [See text of Proclamation here] The AGOA trade program provides sub-Saharan countries duty-free access to the United States on condition they meet certain statutory eligibility requirements, including eliminating barriers to U.S. trade and investment and...

23 December 2017

Presidential Proclamation to take certain actions under the AGOA and for other purposes

In Proclamation 9223 of December 23, 2014, President Obama determined that the Republic of The Gambia (“The Gambia”) was not making continual progress in meeting the requirements described in section 506A(a)(1) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (the “Trade Act”) (19 U.S.C. 2466a(a)), as added by section 111(a) of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (the “AGOA”). Thus, pursuant to section 506A(a)(3) of the Trade Act (19 U.S.C....

23 December 2017

Gambia government: 'Gambia never benefited from US AGOA'

The government of the Republic of The Gambia said it congratulated the government of The United States of America for the removal of The Gambia from the list of eligible sub-Saharan African countries under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). In a statement Saturday evening, reacting to a recent US decision on The Gambia, the government said "The Gambia has never benefitted from the Act in the first place since a US Presidential...

29 December 2014

South Sudan, Gambia dropped from AGOA, Guinea Bissau reinstated

The White House announced on Tuesday that South Sudan (and Gambia) have been removed from the list of sub-Saharan African countries enjoying special trade status with the United States. According to a proclamation signed by US president Barack Obama, he has determined that South Sudan along with Gambia, "are not making continual progress in meeting the requirements" under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). There were no specifics...

26 December 2014

Gambia: AGOA opportunities enormous, but challenges remain - Trade Minister

The Trade, Regional Integration and Employment minister, Abdou Jobe, has pointed out that the trade opportunities under the United States' crafted Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) are enormous, but that the challenges remain on the ability of local businesses for full benefit from AGOA, market access conditions, means of access under the Act and so on. He was speaking Tuesday during the opening ceremony of a two-day sensitisation...

24 October 2014

Gambia: AGOA complements Gambia's export drive - Trade Minister

Trade Minister Abdou Jobe has said the trade opportunities presented to local businesses and entrepreneurs in The Gambia by the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) are strongly complementing The Gambia's export drive and competiveness in the international market. Minister Jobe made this remark at the SunSwing Beach Resort in Kololi, where a two-day AGOA Awareness-raising workshop commenced yesterday. The occasion, which brought together...

22 October 2014

Gambia: Top US envoy addresses Gambia-US relations - says both nations committed to maintaining ties

The United States deputy assistant secretary, Bureau of African Affairs, Bisa Williams, yesterday announced that as a cornerstone of the US Africa policy, with many nations across the continent embracing democracy, they would like to work with the government of The Gambia and civil society to create a better environment for political discourse, adding that an engaged citizenry in the political process will also improve the country's economic...

05 February 2014

US plans to deepen ties with Gambia

The United States charge d'affaires to The Gambia has assured that his country will continue to seek ways to work together with the latter, extend cooperation and deepen ties, saying the two countries have been partners since pre-independence. Speaking on the topic "the ongoing relationship between The Gambia and USA" during the third annual business dinner, organised in Brufut by the American Chamber of Commerce (Amcham) in The Gambia,...

02 December 2013

You are here: Home/News/Article/Gambia: Trade ministry, US embassy poised to improve bilateral trade, investment