""Studies show that AGOA has had positive effects. Exports to the US have increased, for example, in the textile industry," says Zoryana Olekseyuk, who researches the transformation of economic and social systems at the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS). "For example, Lesotho could lose almost 6% of total exports, Madagascar over 3%, Botswana and Chad around 2%," Olekseyuk told DW."
"Launched in 2000 under US President Bill Clinton, the AGOA trade partnership was intended to bring Africa closer to the world's strongest economy. However, Donald Trump's return to the White House in 2025, which brought renewed protectionist policies, saw tariffs go up once more, effectively undoing the deal. A total of 35 African countries were part of the agreement, which alleviated access to the American market. Almost 7,000 products could be transported across the Atlantic duty-free under the deal."
AGOA is set to expire on September 30, ending 25 years of preferential duty-free access for many sub-Saharan African exports unless a follow-up agreement is reached. The deal supported export growth in sectors such as textiles, agriculture and raw materials and enabled almost 7,000 products to enter the US duty-free. The program covered 35 African countries and generated substantial employment in Madagascar, Lesotho and South Africa. Country-level analyses show mixed outcomes: some nations face notable export declines—Lesotho nearly 6%, Madagascar over 3%, Botswana and Chad around 2%—and overall regional effects varied by country and sector. Renewed US protectionism in 2025 reversed tariff relief.
Read at www.dw.com
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