US/Africa: Congress announces vote on AGOA renewal
By Julian Pecquet
Africa’s duty-free scheme for access to the vast US market has gotten a last-minute reprieve, with the House of Representatives’ trade-writing panel scheduling a vote on Wednesday, 10 December.
The legislation from House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith of Missouri calls for a simple three-year extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which expired on 1 October. The duty-free provisions will apply retroactively to the bill’s expiration date.
“No surprises except for the 3-year extension since the White House has only endorsed a 1-year extension,” Paul Ryberg, president of the African Coalition for Trade, tells The Africa Report.
Lawmakers hope to pass the extension quickly for inclusion in the so-called Continuing Resolution to continue funding the federal government past January 2026.
The announcement follows a behind-the-scenes lobbying blitz that culminates this week with a series of events with lawmakers, ambassadors and Trump administration officials.
The AGOA Alliance, a coalition of US and African business, policy and trade leaders backed by Afreximbank and co-chaired by former Assistant US Trade Representative for Africa Rosa Whitaker and former Utah Congressman Chris Stewart, this week launched the ‘Continue AGOA!’ initiative in Washington, DC.
As Trump win threatens US-Africa trade, Afreximbank launches AGOA push
“We are deeply encouraged by the House Ways and Means Committee’s completion of legislation to extend AGOA for three years and the scheduled markup set for tomorrow. This represents a major step forward for a program that has supported 1.3 million African jobs, generated over half a trillion dollars in duty-free African exports to the United States, and sustains nearly half a million American jobs,” Whitaker tells The Africa Report. “Since AGOA’s enactment, U.S. exports to sub-Saharan Africa have tripled — from $5.9b to more than $18b — strengthening supply chains and deepening strategic partnerships. AGOA has always been a true win-win for both the United States and Africa at virtually no cost to US taxpayers.”
On Wednesday, the AGOA Alliance and the Corporate Council on Africa co-host an AGOA Leaders Breakfast Roundtable, with at least one African head of State expected to participate virtually.
On Thursday, African ambassadors and business leaders are invited to Capitol Hill for meetings with key members of the Ways and Means Committee as well as the House Foreign Affairs and Senate Foreign Relations committees. The Congressional Black Caucus will also host a working lunch.
And on Friday, the alliance hopes to have senior Trump administration officials participate in a breakfast discussion on the future of AGOA at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in downtown Washington, DC.