All eyes are on the United States (US), as its 25- year trade agreement with Africa, expires, on Tuesday, the 30th September 2025.
Through African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), some 5,000 goods from Africa, have received duty-free access to the US market, since the year 2000, including countries in sub-Saharan African.
About 32 countries were eligible for AGOA benefits in 2024.
Over the weekend, the United Nations Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said both Africa and the US have benefitted from the agreement.
UNCTAD also said the tariff hike could hurt African exporters, in sectors such as textiles and apparel, where AGOA provided market access, such as in countries like Kenya and Madagascar.
“Without AGOA’s renewal, Africa’s export competitiveness in the US market could quickly erode at a time when competition for alternative export markets intensifies globally. Accelerating the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area could help mitigate this situation, but such a readjustment would be challenging and require considerable time” UNCTAD said in a fact sheet.
Picture: The Borgen Project