WASHINGTON – The Office of the United States Trade Representative today released its 2024 Biennial Report on the Implementation of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Report.
“AGOA has helped to grow Africa’s extraordinary economic potential and has made a difference for many Africans, but we have an opportunity to make it even better,” said Ambassador Katherine Tai. “A lot has changed on the continent and in the global economy over the last two decades. This Report provides a starting point for the Administration, Congress, our African partners, and stakeholders to examine how we can improve utilization rates for smaller economies and make the program more effective and relevant to today’s challenges—like growing inequality, supply chain fragility, and the climate crisis.”
Since it was signed into law in May 2000, AGOA has played a critical role in the United States’ trade relationship with sub-Saharan Africa, including by fostering economic growth and development on the continent and encouraging African-led solutions to economic and political reforms. The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to partnering with Africa to amplify the continent’s vibrancy and potential, and to shape a forward-looking vision for the U.S.-Africa trade and investment relationship.
In 2023, U.S. imports under AGOA (including the Generalized System of Preferences program, which remains available for AGOA beneficiaries) totaled $9.7 billion. This consisted of approximately $4.2 billion in crude oil and $5.5 billion in other products, including $1.1 billion in apparel and more than $900 million in agricultural products. Last year, African countries eligible for AGOA leveraged the program’s preferences to export nearly $10 billion in goods to the United States.
BACKGROUND
The AGOA Report is a biennial report required under Section 110 of the Trade Preferences Extension ACT (TPEA) of 2015, which states that the President shall submit a report to Congress on the implementation of the African Growth and Opportunity Act no later than one year after the enactment of the statute, and biennially thereafter. The United States Trade Representative, on behalf of the President, last submitted this report in June 2022. The 2024 AGOA Report covers the period since then, from July 2022 to June 2024.
The 2024 AGOA Report provides a description of the status of trade and investment between the United States and sub-Saharan Africa, changes in country eligibility for AGOA benefits, an analysis of country compliance with the AGOA eligibility criteria, an overview of regional integration efforts in sub-Saharan Africa, and a summary of U.S. trade capacity building efforts.
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