The Office of the United States Trade Representative announced Tuesday that the list of African countries eligible for AGOA will remain unchanged for the coming fiscal year, preserving the benefits of the agreement for 32 African countries.
The announcement confirmed that Ethiopia, which attempted to join AGOA, has once again failed.
Despite discussions with U.S. trade officials in July to explore possible changes to AGOA, Lander's latest decision leaves Ethiopia's suspension intact.
President Joe Biden signed an executive order in November 2021 withdrawing Ethiopia from AGOA following the escalation of the war, which began a year earlier and witnessed ” flagrant violations of internationally recognized human rights ».
The decision led several foreign companies operating in Ethiopian industrial parks to close shop and leave Ethiopia, as they had primarily targeted Ethiopia due to its AGOA eligibility.
Ethiopia called the decision “ill-advised” and said it “ disregards the United States government's commitment to valuing the well-being of ordinary citizens.”
Ethiopia also argued that the decision affects “the livelihoods of more than 200,000 low-income households, mainly women who have nothing to do with the conflict.”
MG/jn/fss/Sf/ac/APA
