U.S. blacklists Gabon, three others from AGOA, reinstates Mauritania
United States President, Joe Biden, has terminated the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) trade preference programme benefits for four African countries, beginning from January 1, 2024. He, however, gave conditions for their possible reinstatement.
In a statement yesterday by Amb. Katherine Tai, the American leader, decided to restore Mauritania.
Tai, who is Principal Trade Advisor, Negotiator and Spokesperson on Trade Policy, explained that “Gabon and Niger’s AGOA eligibility will be terminated due to unconstitutional changes of government in those two countries.”
She added: “Benefits will also be terminated for the Central African Republic and Uganda on the basis of gross violations of internationally recognised human rights being perpetrated by those governments.
“Absent urgent changes, these four countries are set to be removed from the programme due to actions taken by their governments that are inconsistent with the AGOA eligibility criteria.”
On the conditions that could make them be reconsidered, Tai said: “The United States urges these governments to take necessary actions to meet those criteria so that we can resume our valued trading partnerships.”
Throwing light on Mauritania’s reinstatement, she explained that the country was considered based on results of the yearly AGOA eligibility review.
Meanwhile, U.S. Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs, Ramin Toloui, is to be in South Africa and Nigeria for AGOA Act AGOA Forum and creative industry’s events from November 1 to 9.
In a statement issued yesterday by his office, Toloui would participate in multilateral fora and conduct bilateral diplomacy.
In South Africa, he would attend the 20th United States-Sub-Saharan AGOA Forum meetings in Johannesburg.
He will co-chair a breakout session entitled: “Diversifying Global Supply Chains” during the gathering.
The statement added: “In Nigeria, Assistant Secretary Toloui will deliver a keynote address at the Africa Creative Markets Conference on the importance of intellectual property protection for the creative industries.”
