Four African countries to be expelled from Agoa trade programme
Uganda, Central African Republic (CAR), Niger and Gabon, are under President Joe Biden’s plans to be removed from the US-Africa trade programme, better known as the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), introduced in 2000 by the US.
Going by the words of US President Joe Biden, Niger and Gabon currently under military rule following coups this year are ineligible for the Agoa trade deal because “they have not established, or are not making continual progress toward establishing the protection of political pluralism and the rule of law”.
President Joe Biden disclosed that the removal of CAR and Uganda stemmed from ” gross violations of internationally recognized human rights by their governments”.
Uganda was since May eyed by Joe Biden after it passed a controversial anti-homosexuality law, which imposes a death penalty on people found guilty of engaging in certain same-sex acts.
None of the four cited African countries has reacted to this expulsion announcement, coming as South Africa prepares to host the 20th Agoa Forum this Thursday.
Their expulsion from the Agoa trade deal is expected to take effect from the start of 2024. It is feared it will adversely impact the economies of Gabon, Niger, Uganda and Central African Republic (CAR), as Agoa is known for promoting exports, economic growth, and job creation among member countries.
