AGOA extended to 2015

THE African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA) has been extended to end in 2015 instead of 2008.

Namibia benefits from the American government 2000 law through trade preferences, in particular access to the US market for clothing made in Namibia. The new agreement ensures that the poorest countries can keep using low cost imported fabric in garments made for the US market for another three years, according to the Whitaker Group.The Whitaker Group leads the AGOA 3 Action Committee in the US which yesterday announced the agreement that extends the original AGOA from ending 2008 to 2015.The agreement labelled, H.P 4103, also concerns the use of low cost imported fabric in making garments for the US market; provides technical assistance for trade capacity building, development of eco-tourism and SPS compliance for African agricultural products; instructs the US administration to develop programs to assist with transportation and infrastructure development in Africa, and specifically defines AGOA eligible garments.The agreement also aims to “pre-empt conflicts that might have arisen when the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) enters into free trade agreement with the US.”Namibia is part of SACU and is also pursuing trade agreements with the European Union separately.Other AGOA beneficiaries are Angola; Benin; Botswana; Cameroon; Cape Verde; Chad; Republic of Congo; Cote d’Ivoire; Democratic Republic of Congo; Djibouti; Ethiopia; The Gambia; Ghana; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Kenya; Lesotho; Madagascar; Malawi; Mali; Mauritania; Mozambique; Niger; Nigeria; Rwanda; Sao Tome and Principe; Senegal; Sierra Leone; Swaziland; Tanzania; Uganda and Zambia.The new agreement ensures that the poorest countries can keep using low cost imported fabric in garments made for the US market for another three years, according to the Whitaker Group.The Whitaker Group leads the AGOA 3 Action Committee in the US which yesterday announced the agreement that extends the original AGOA from ending 2008 to 2015.The agreement labelled, H.P 4103, also concerns the use of low cost imported fabric in making garments for the US market; provides technical assistance for trade capacity building, development of eco-tourism and SPS compliance for African agricultural products; instructs the US administration to develop programs to assist with transportation and infrastructure development in Africa, and specifically defines AGOA eligible garments.The agreement also aims to “pre-empt conflicts that might have arisen when the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) enters into free trade agreement with the US.”Namibia is part of SACU and is also pursuing trade agreements with the European Union separately.Other AGOA beneficiaries are Angola; Benin; Botswana; Cameroon; Cape Verde; Chad; Republic of Congo; Cote d’Ivoire; Democratic Republic of Congo; Djibouti; Ethiopia; The Gambia; Ghana; Guinea; Guinea-Bissau; Kenya; Lesotho; Madagascar; Malawi; Mali; Mauritania; Mozambique; Niger; Nigeria; Rwanda; Sao Tome and Principe; Senegal; Sierra Leone; Swaziland; Tanzania; Uganda and Zambia.