Agoa extension bill reaches another milestone

The United States (US) House of Representatives and the Senate voted overwhelmingly to reauthorise the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) last week, sending the legislation to the US president Barack Obama and “guaranteeing a seamless and long-term extension of this vitally important law”.

This statement was issued on Friday by US congresswoman Karen Bass, ranking member of the Africa Subcommittee, who commented: “After years of tireless work and effective advocacy, our work in Congress to reauthorise the African Growth and Opportunity Act is now complete.”

She added that Thursday’s vote was a direct result of the bipartisan work and commitment from both Houses of Congress, the African Diplomatic Corps, African heads of state, members of African governments, the Obama Administration and “countless individuals from the African diaspora and African civil society who spoke and worked for an African continent that is a partner to the United States”.

“I look forward not just to president Obama signing this legislation, but also continuing to work with you as we look beyond Agoa’s reauthorisation. American leaders must be as focused as ever on this vitally important part of the world,” said Bass.