Title: The end of the participation of certain African countries in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa): a hard blow for international trade
Introduction :
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) has long been an essential lever for promoting trade between African countries and the United States. However, US President Joe Biden recently announced the end of the participation of Gabon, Niger, Uganda and the Central African Republic in this program. This decision, driven by various reasons such as human rights violations and coups, will have significant consequences for these countries and for international trade in general.
Conditions not met:
According to Joe Biden, these four countries do not meet the necessary conditions to benefit from the trade facilities offered by AGOA. Gabon and Niger have been penalized due to recent coups that took place in these countries. The United States has already suspended cooperation with these two nations due to these military takeovers. The American president believes that Gabon and Niger show no signs of progress towards political pluralism and respect for the rule of law.
The Central African Republic also faces difficulties. In addition to failing to meet the required political criteria, the country is accused of gross violations of human and workers’ rights. These violations led to the decision to terminate the Central African Republic’s participation in AGOA.
Uganda, meanwhile, has been singled out for its numerous violations of international human rights. In particular, the anti-homosexuality law in force in the country has sparked outrage from the international community. The United States has already taken symbolic steps by restricting visas to some Ugandan officials accused of abuses against LGBT rights. This new decision reinforces the sanctions already in place.
Consequences for the countries concerned:
The end of participation in AGOA will have significant economic consequences for Gabon, Niger, Uganda and the Central African Republic. These countries will lose the tariff advantages they benefited from to export their production to the United States. Exports to the U.S. market represented a significant portion of their economic revenue, and the end of this trade opportunity will create a significant revenue shortfall.
In addition, this decision will have an impact on the image of these countries on the international scene. Their failure to address the US administration’s concerns about political pluralism, respect for human rights and the rule of law could harm their reputation and relations with other trading partners..
Conclusion :
The end of the participation of Gabon, Niger, Uganda and the Central African Republic in Agoa marks a turning point in commercial relations between these countries and the United States. Human rights violations, coups and lack of political progress were the main reasons for this decision. The economic consequences and the impact on the image of these countries underline the importance of respect for democratic values and fundamental rights in international trade relations.