U.S. Set to End AGOA Trade Pact That Built African Jobs

There is little reason to believe Congress will pass a last-minute extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which is set to expire on September 30th, says Witney Schneidman in an AllAfrica guest column. Even a short-term extension of the legislation that has been the cornerstone of the U.S.-African commercial relationship for the last 25 years and is set to expire on September 30th, would have benefits, preserving a tariff advantage for some African nations. It would also allow Congress “to explore how a modernized AGOA can best serve the interests of the United States and its partner nations on the continent.”

“Without AGOA and other traditional instruments of soft power, such as USAID, the United States will increase its isolation from Africa at a time when other countries are becoming more engaged,” he adds..