AGOA Five Years Later: Lessons Learned, Challenges Ahead
Introduced in the United States Congress in April 1997 and signed into law in May 2000, the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) was prompted by the realization that “it is in the mutual interest of the United States and the countries of sub-Saharan Africa to promote stable and sustainable economic growth and development in sub-Saharan Africa.” Proponents of the Act asserted that by extending certain trade benefits to developing sub-Saharan countries, conditioned on structural market and political reforms, the United States would promote economic development and democratic rule, while reaping the benefits of strong trade relations with growing African markets.
Africa Program
The Africa Program works to address the most critical issues facing Africa and US-Africa relations, build mutually beneficial US-Africa relations, and enhance knowledge and understanding about Africa in the United States. The Program achieves its mission through in-depth research and analyses, public discussion, working groups, and briefings that bring together policymakers, practitioners, and subject matter experts to analyze and offer practical options for tackling key challenges in Africa and in US-Africa relations. Read more
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