The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a cornerstone of U.S.-Africa trade relations since 2000, will be the focal point of discussions at the upcoming AGOA Forum in Johannesburg. This year’s event is critical as it precedes the 2025 expiration of the program, sparking debates on its renewal, reform, and impact.
Established under former President Bill Clinton, AGOA aims to strengthen trade ties with Sub-Saharan Africa, offering duty-free access to the U.S. market for most agricultural and manufactured goods from eligible African countries. The act, renewed twice, currently includes about 35 African nations, though eligibility is contingent upon their adherence to certain economic and human rights standards.
AGOA’s achievements include significant boosts in exports and job creation, particularly in the textile sector. Studies highlight that the program helped create 350,000 direct jobs from 2001 to 2011. However, a closer look reveals that the benefits are unevenly distributed, with more than 80% of non-petroleum exports under AGOA in 2021 coming from just five countries.
Critics argue that the program's potential remains underexploited, with many eligible countries not having developed national AGOA utilization strategies. Furthermore, while U.S. imports from AGOA beneficiaries peaked in 2008, they accounted for only 1% of all U.S. imports in 2021. This underperformance suggests that AGOA, while beneficial, requires updates and expansion into new sectors like technology and digital services.
The forum’s timing is pivotal as stakeholders ponder AGOA’s future beyond 2025. African nations advocate for a straightforward 10-year extension to provide certainty to businesses and investors. Meanwhile, some U.S. senators support a quick renewal, but the office of the U.S. Trade Representative urges revisions to enhance AGOA’s effectiveness.
The decisions made at the Johannesburg forum will have lasting impacts on the trajectory of U.S.-Africa trade relations. With the global economic landscape rapidly evolving, the outcome of these discussions could redefine how the United States and African nations engage economically in the coming decades.
