EFF says government must reject AGOA extension
The EFF has called on the South African government to reject the extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), warning that the programme primarily serves US geopolitical and economic interests.
“AGOA has always been conditional, designed to bind African economies to US foreign policy objectives.
Renewing it serves Washington’s strategic interests, not those of African people,” the party said in a statement.
The EFF further said the programme has not meaningfully diversified African economies
“Our trade with the United States still pales in comparison to other global partners, and the benefits have been limited and uneven
South Africa should pursue trade agreements that prioritise intra-African cooperation rather than conditional arrangements that leverage our markets for external political gain,” the party said.
This comes after governmenton Tuesday welcomed the U.S. House of Representatives’ approval of a bill to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) for another three years, a programme critical to the country’s export sector.
・The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a bill to renew the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) for three more years. AGOA allows duty-free access for eligible African products to the U.S. market, supporting significant employment and export activities. The act’s extension has been welcomed by South Africa as vital to maintaining economic stability and bilateral trade ties with the United States.
AGOA provides duty-free access to the U.S. market for eligible sub-Saharan African countries and products.
No tags for this post.
