Agoa forum to cover improved access for African countries

ALAN PEAT THE US is to host this year’s annual African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) forum in Washington on June 6 and 7 - the fifth round of a forum which aims to remove barriers that prevent African countries gaining greater access to US markets. This will bring together government and trade representatives from 37 Agoa beneficiary countries and the US, the private sector and wide-ranging representatives of civil society. “Discussions,” according to bilaterals.org, “will also look into whether or not the initiative has succeeded in spurring entrepreneurial activity in African countries, and improving their investment climates. “The US said it was also keen to discuss how African governments could offer better protection to intellectual property rights - an issue on which industrialised countries want to focus in the current Doha round of world trade talks.” Meanwhile, the main concern amongst the African countries is likely to be about what is likely to replace Agoa when the trade concessions – giving tariff- and duty-free access to the US market - end in 2012. According to the US State Department, exports from African countries have trebled since 2000. “However,” said bilaterals.org, “much of the 44% rise in African exports to the US last year has been accounted for by increased exports of oil to the US.”