AGOA - African Growth Opportunity Act with the USA - Westar Manufacturing blog

AGOA has afforded SSA countries an opportunity to get liberal
market access to the USA without any free trade agreement.
Currently more than 98% of USA imports from AGOAbenefi
ciary countries are duty free. Through AGOA, some African
countries also have access to USA credit and technical
skills, and all have economic engagement with the USA using
the USA-SSA Trade and Economic Forum commonly called
the “AGOA Forum”.
On the other hand, USA fi rms have found new opportunities for
investment and partnerships in Africa through AGOA. Some
opportunities were created through privatisation of stateowned
enterprises and others through partnerships with African
fi rms in infrastructure projects.
Imports by the USA from AGOA countries increased over the
period 2000 to 2008, despite slumps in 2001 and 2002. AGOA
agricultural exports to US made up 18 % (down from 23 % in
2007) of the total exports from SSA. Trade between the USA
and SSA countries were highly concentrated on specifi c products,
with a small number of African countries accounting for a
large share of the total for both imports and exports.