Democratic Senator Chris Coons has proposed a 16-year extension for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a program that provides duty-free access to the U.S. market for eligible African countries. Discussions are underway for the renewal of the program, which is set to expire in 2025. African nations are pushing for a 10-year extension, and President Joe Biden's administration supports the reauthorization but with proposed reforms. In 2022, African exports worth over $10 billion accessed the United States duty-free through AGOA.
US President Joe Biden has announced his intention to remove Gabon, Niger, Uganda, and the Central African Republic from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) trade program due to concerns over human rights violations and lack of progress in political pluralism and the rule of law. The termination of their designation as beneficiary countries will take effect on January 1, 2024, but their eligibility will continue to be assessed. AGOA, which grants duty-free access to the US market for qualifying African countries, is set to expire in September 2025, with discussions underway for a possible extension.
President Biden has notified the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate of his intent to terminate the designation of the Central African Republic, Gabon, Niger, and Uganda as beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). This decision is based on their failure to meet the eligibility requirements of the AGOA, including violations of human rights, lack of progress in establishing worker rights, political pluralism, and the rule of law. The termination will be effective from January 1, 2024, and the eligibility of these countries will continue to be assessed.
