Agoa Forum: Has the US trade pact helped Africa? - BBC News

The future of what was billed as a game-changing pact between Africa and the US is in the balance.

4 days agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, AFPBy Jewel KiriungiBBC News, NairobiThe future of what was billed as a game-changing trade agreement between Africa and the US is up for discussion in the South African city of Johannesburg over the next few days, with calls for it to be turned into a much longer-term pact, despite some criticism of the deal.

The African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) was signed into law by former United States President Bill Clinton in May 2000, in a bid to improve trade and investment ties with sub-Saharan Africa on the basis that the best way to raise living standards on the continent and create badly needed jobs, was through trade, not aid.

It allows eligible African countries to export some of their produce to the US without paying taxes, meaning they are cheaper for US consumers to buy, and so they should buy more.

It covers more than 1,800 products - from BMW and Mercedes cars assembled in South Africa to Kenyan flowers and even jeans.

Participating countries are required to meet a set of conditions to qualify to trade under the programme.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-67284812?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

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