CCA Leading the Way on AGOA: African Union Mid-term Review Meeting on AGOA

The African Union Mission hosted its annual AGOA mid-term review on June 21 under the theme: “Dialogue with U.S. Private Sector, Think Tanks, and Civil Society on U.S-Africa Trade and Investment Relations and AGOA Beyond 2025.” The dialogue featured the President and CEO of the Corporate Council on Africa, Florie Liser; the President of the U.S-Africa Business Center Chamber of Commerce, Kendra Gaither; Director of the Africa Program at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace,Zainab Usman; the Chair of the AGOA Civil Society Network, Fred O. Oladeinde, and H.E Ambassador Momodou Lamin Bah, Republic of The Gambia, who served as the moderator of the panel. The dialogue debuted with remarks by the Ambassador of Republic of The Gambia, who underlined the importance of AGOA renewal. He was followed by the President and CEO of CCA, Florie Liser, who commended the African diplomatic corps on earlier efforts to renew AGOA and encouraged them to be strategic in advocating for swift and long-term renewal of AGOA legislation currently slated to end in September 2025. In particular, she noted that there may be a narrow window for AGOA renewal during a lame duck session of Congress (following November 2024 elections) and highlighted the importance of creating a strategic coalition and meeting key Congressional members and leadership in the House and Senate. Other panelists raised a number of important issues related to AGOA as well as the broader U.S.-Africa trade and investment relationship including: strengthening African regional value chains through AfCTA; focusing on priority sectors including digital trade, agriculture, transportation/logistics; improving AGOA utilization; setting a framework for a mutually beneficial partnership on critical minerals; and strengthening civil society organizations’ role in AGOA renewal and implementation. Members of the African diplomatic corps emphasized the importance of AGOA for many beneficiary countries and urged that those evaluating AGOA’s record and effectiveness look beyond the trade numbers to grasp the benefits of AGOA on the continent, including for women and youth. In closing the panel, H.E Ambassador Momodou Lamin Bah, Republic of The Gambia acknowledged the need for close collaboration among the stakeholders to tackle AGOA challenges and opportunities