The time has come for young emaSwati entrepreneurs to seize opportunities to manufacture basic every day consumer products for export to the US under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The main drive is to get emaSwati to manufacture products locally, sell locally, regionally and internationally using the various initiatives made available by government.  Eswatini’s economy is at a crossroads. While the country boasts a...

13 February 2024

About 26 535 tonnes of sugar is shipped yearly to the Unites States of America through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). Eswatini Sugar Association (ESA) Logistics Manager, Sibusiso Hlandze said the local sugar was exported  to a terminal in Maputo, Mozambique. He said the terminal,called the Sociedade Terminal De Acucar De Maputo (STAM), played a significant role in the country's sugar industry. It is owned by four sugar...

22 August 2023

The country’s performance in AGOA was highlighted by Tammy Dlamini, who is the Senior Country Representative (Eswatini and Angola) for the USAID Africa Trade and Investment Southern Africa Buy-in Activity.  In his presentation it was noted that the country’s exports to the United States (US) in 2022 was over E1.4 billion, while in 2021 it was E669 164 496 and E387 702 611.40 in 2021. Dlamini said the US was a big market worth...

17 July 2023

The AGOA.info Exporter Toolkit resources have been enhanced through the addition of brochures and infographics on AGOA-related subjects.  This includes many 'national' AGOA country brochures that provide an overview of a country's AGOA-related developments and trade performance.  Other themed brochures include those of a more technical nature (Rules of Origin, AGOA eligibility and review provisions), as well as more sector-focused...

25 January 2019

Can the year 2018 be a turning point for textile workers’ prolonged poverty? The workers in the textile industry said as they got into the new year and edged closer to this year’s negotiations which are scheduled to start next Wednesday, they would be demanding that government should adhere to TUCOSWA’s call for a basic minimum wage, which would see them as part of the least paid workforce, getting at least E3 000 per month. This means...

25 January 2018

Two years ago, I wrote on this very column how disappointing government was in the handling of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) issue.  I remember vividly describing it as a catastrophe so dreadful to be likened to Tsunami proportions. Last week, United States (US) President Donald Trump gave a green light to the restoration of the country’s eligibility for AGOA, which in all honesty is massive relieve for the country and...

31 December 2017

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

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

The Amalgamated Trade Union of Swaziland (ATUSWA) representing 9 000 workers in the textile and apparel industry, the Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA) representing 40 000 workers and 16 affiliated unions, and the IndustriALL Global Union representing 50 million workers in 140 countries met in Manzini, Swaziland on the 29th of August 2017 to discuss the status of the United States Trade Act – the African Growth and Opportunity Act...

04 September 2017

His Majesty King Mswati III has given assent to the Public Order Bill and the Suppression of Terrorism amendment Act. The King endorsed the two Acts last week Tuesday. This comes as good news as this means that Swaziland is a step closer to regaining its African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) status. Swaziland was removed from AGOA in January 2015.  

15 August 2017

The United States has asked Swaziland to redefine ‘Terrorism Act’ before it could be reconsidered for the African Growth Opportunity Agreement (AGOA). This was stated by Prime Minister Banarbas Dlamini when giving feedback to Senate Portfolio Committee in Parliament during the debate of the Suppression of Terrorism Amendment Bill No. 10 of 2010 on Wednesday. The premier said during the discussion of the bill with the Americans and the...

05 July 2017