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Kenyan workers prepare clothes for export.
The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition says there is bipartisan support in the White House for the renewal of the Africa Growth Opportunity Act commonly known as AGOA for one year.
AGOA expired on the last day of September this year.
The department was briefing the oversight committee on the status of trade relations, ongoing trade negotiations as well as update on the tariff negotiations between South Africa and the US.
Deputy Director General for Trade, Xolelwa Mlumbi-Peter says Senator John Kennedy has introduced a bill signalling an interest to renew the programme for a period of two years.
She says the Ways and Means committee is still to discuss, but the department’s understanding is that there is partisan support to support renewal of AGOA.
“There’s still bipartisan support for the renewal of AGOA and also the White House has indicated that it is also in support of the renewal for a period of one year. What is expected will be a straight rollover of the existing members, which will mean that as South Africa, once it is rolled over, South Africa will continue to benefit under the programme,” she says.
