The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), the cornerstone of U.S.-Africa trade relations for a quarter century, has reached a critical phase, writes AGOA Civil Society Network Chair Fred Oladeinde. He cites two key developments - the White House's short extension of AGOA through 2026 and China's sweeping new zeroâ€'tariff policy for African exports - leading to intensified calls for Congress to enact a longâ€'term

After nearly three decades of active engagement with the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), Rose Whitaker announced she is stepping down from the AGOA Alliance, where I have been honored to serve as Co-Chair.

As a Congressional staffer, she played a key role in the formulation and passed of the Act in 2000. She served as the first Assistant U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) for Africa appointed first by President Bill Clinton and reappointed by President George W. Bush. She founded

US President Donald Trump has signed into law the one-year extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), with African countries restoring duty-free access to the US market until the end of the year. 

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the renewal of the AGOA applies retroactively from September 30, 2025, when the program expired, through December 31, 2026. Greer said the administration

African governments and business organisations have welcomed passage by the U.S. House of Representatives.the three-year extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Act, which expired on September 30 after Congress failed to act. The legislation must be passed by the Senate and signed by the President before the extension takes effect.

The government in South Africa and exporters in 

Passage by the powerful House Ways and Means Committee of a bill to extend for three years the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has raised hopes among supporters that the legislation may be enacted early in 2026. The Committee voted 37 to 3 on December 10 to send the bill to the House floor for a vote.

"This outcome reflects years of principled, bipartisan advocacy grounded in the belief that meaningful U.S.-Africa partnerships & trade drive enduring & mutual

Kenyan President William Ruto has welcomed plans by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) by one year, saying the move would safeguard ongoing trade gains.

The AGOA agreement, established in 2000, gives dozens of African countries duty-free access to U.S. markets and has been a critical lifeline for many regional industries, including textiles

As the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) expires, what are the prospects for renewal ofthe trade legislation that has been supported by every U.S. administration since it was adopted by Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 2000. The expiration is "dangerous," says Rosa Whitaker in an AllAfrica guest column. "AGOA has never been allowed to lapse, because U.S. policymakers

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

With the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) that has anchored U.S-Africa relations since 2000 set to expire on September 30, prospects for extension or renewal grow increasingly slim. Nonetheless, supporters of the trade pact hold out hope that a compromise might still be attainable. Dr. Bob Wekesa from the African Centre for the Study of the United States at Wits University in South Africa, in an

Since returning to office, U.S. President Donald Trump has cut key aid to Africa and imposed new tariffs on exports, raising fears of another setback with the expiration of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

In 2000, former President Bill Clinton established AGOA to promote economic development in sub-Saharan Africa. AGOA granted duty-free access to the U.S. market for thousands of African products,