Congress Should Promptly Extend AGOA

The ONE Campaign urges Congress to promptly extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a longstanding law that supports thousands of U.S. jobs and billions in trade, but lapsed on September 30^th. On December 10^th, the House Committee on Ways and Means favorably reported the “AGOA Extension Act” by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 37 to 3. The legislation still requires passage by the full House and Senate.

Established in 2000, AGOA has earned bipartisan support from multiple presidents and congresses – including when it was last reauthorized in 2015 – because of its strong economic benefits for the U.S. and Africa. For over 20 years, AGOA has been the foundation of U.S. trade and economic relationships with Africa, unlocking key African markets for U.S. companies, allowing them to diversify supply chains and better compete globally.

The tangible benefits of AGOA are clear in the numbers. It has helped create hundreds of thousands of jobs, both in the U.S. and in African countries that meet its specific criteria (related to free markets, economic reforms, and eliminating barriers to U.S. trade). In the United States, 450,000 jobs are linked to U.S.-Africa trade, and in the past two decades U.S. exports to AGOA countries have increased nearly 300% (from $5 billion in 2000 to $14.8 billion in 2022).  

Secretary Rubio has stated: “In Africa, America needs a policy of trade, not aid, and … expanding opportunities for American companies.” AGOA is an essential tool for that shift in priorities. This extension is critical in ensuring the United States does not cede our strategic, diplomatic, and economic interests to adversaries like China and Russia, who continue their deliberate inroads into the continent. Time and again, African officials stress that America is the partner of choice, but they can’t engage if we don’t show up.

According to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) World Economic Outlook released in October, Africa will be home to 14 of the 24 fastest growing economies in 2025. Additionally, it is estimated that by 2050 one in every four people on the planet will be African.  This presents tremendous opportunities for new consumer markets and the workforce of tomorrow. We ignore Africa at our own peril.

ONE urges Congress to complete its bipartisan efforts to extend AGOA, and will continue to work collaboratively to enhance U.S. economic partnership with the continent.