Trade concerns grow after US questions corruption in Africa
SA fears for the future of Agoa after Trump team queries benefits of backing corrupt regimes, writes Hamlet Hlomendlini
Recently, President Donald Trump succeeded in withdrawing the US from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). On the back of that decision, questions have since been raised over the future of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), which was meant to expire in 2015. However, after robust negotiations in 2014, the Obama administration decided to extend it to 2025, allowing it to continue for 10 more years. Since Trump fulfilled a campaign pledge to withdraw from TPP, Agoa beneficiaries like SA are speculating that this could be a sign of worse things to come, especially following his scourge of attacks on the US trade deals during his election campaigns. Fuelling this concern may also be attributed to the realisation that there has not been anything of substance mentioned by the Trump administration relating to Agoa since he took office. Adding to the doubts about the future of Agoa is the fact that Trump’s transition team recently sent the state department four pages of question...
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