Abstract
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) ("Act") (19 U.S.C. § 3701) was signed into law on May 18, 2000, to promote "stable and sustainable economic growth and development" in sub-Saharan African countries through a system of enhanced trade preferences. Congress extended the Act in 2015, and it is currently set to expire in September 2025. The economic climate on the African Continent has changed substantially since AGOA's 2015 renewal, in large part due to the ratification of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), which went into effect on May 30, 2019. Nearly every African nation has now signed the free trade agreement, and as of April 2025, forty-eight countries have deposited their instruments of ratification. When fully implemented, the AfCFTA will create a single continental market by eliminating trade barriers and establishing regional value chains to increase value-added production. Other countries, including China and Russia, have greatly increased investment and engagement in Africa since the last AGOA renewal. Congress must not only renew AGOA before its expiration but must also reform the Act to be compatible and align itself with the objectives and provisions of the AfCFTA and provide the necessary investment to honor its commitments and maintain its presence, influence, and relevance on the Continent.
First Page
99
Recommended Citation
Melissa
Zindel
AGOA in the New Context of the AFFCFTA: The Need for Renewal and Reform,
21
Loy. U. Chi. Int'l L. Rev.
99
().
Available at:
https://lawecommons.luc.edu/lucilr/vol21/iss2/3