Meeting between the Deputy Chairperson and a US delegation on the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)

Addis Ababa, 11 July 2013 – The Deputy Chairperson, H.E. Mr. Erastus Mwencha had a working session in his office today with a delegation led by the US Ambassador to Ethiopia, H.E. Donald Booth, in preparation for the 12th AGOA Forum which will be hosted this year by the Ethiopian Government at the AU Commission from 9 to 13 August, 2013. The hosting of the Forum by Africa at the Headquarters of the AUC is very timely as it coincides, as mentioned by the Deputy Chairperson, with the 50th Anniversary of the OAU/AU.

The main issue discussed revolved around the post-2015 AGOA bearing in mind that the Act is set to expire in 2015. Both parties agreed that AGOA is an important partnership tool and is mutually beneficial to Africa and the US. The Deputy Chairperson pointed out that the global economic and political scene had changed since the enactment of AGOA and therefore there was need to review that unilateral initiative in order to develop its full potential.

In this regard, there was an exchange of views on measures to be taken to make AGOA more useful for Africa and the US, namely in promoting non-extractive investments, in expanding product eligibility, creating jobs and reviewing the country eligibility criteria among others. Particular emphasis was laid on the need to increase US investment in Africa by encouraging business-to-business interaction and allaying the perception of political risks while Africa continues to consolidate its regional integration process and enlarge its market.

With regard to EPAs evoked by the US delegation, the Deputy Chairperson underlined that EPAs were WTO plus and the global negotiations of the multilateral trading system should not be sidestepped. He also called for caution in suspending countries from AGOA because in the end, it does not impact on the leadership as much as it does on businesses and on the people. In the same vein, he urged for Africa to be looked as one continent including North African countries.

Finally, some arrangements for the organization of the 12th AGOA Forum were discussed.