By Phenyo Selinda
Pretoria – Trade, Industry and Competition Minister, Parks Tau, has wrapped up a visit to the United States of America (USA), leading a high-level delegation to the 21st Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Forum. The forum took place from 22-26 July 2024, continuing the dialogue initiated at the 20th AGOA Forum held in Johannesburg in November 2023.
Accompanied by Deputy Minister Andrew Whitfield, government officials, private sector representatives, and organised labour, Minister Tau engaged in critical discussions aimed at strengthening trade relations between the USA and sub-Saharan Africa. AGOA, a unilateral trade preference scheme, offers duty-free, quota-free access to the US market for qualifying African countries, remaining a cornerstone of US-African commercial relations.
With AGOA set to expire in 14 months, African Ministers of Trade appealed to the Biden Administration and US Congress for a swift renewal. They proposed extending AGOA for at least 16 years, ensuring predictability and stability for buyers, exporters, and investors. The renewal should be concluded by the end of 2024, with enhancements to support value-added exports from Africa.
“We welcome the support expressed by both the Biden Administration and Members of Congress for the renewal of AGOA,” said Minister Tau. The forum also underscored South Africa’s pivotal role in developing regional value chains in sectors such as the automotive industry.
The delegation’s engagements with US Congress members, the Administration, the private sector, and think tanks were extensive and productive. Discussions focused on the political landscape in South Africa, particularly the establishment of the Government of National Unity (GNU). “We welcome the warm reception, as well as productive and constructive discussions we had with Members of Congress across the aisle and with the US Administration. There was a lot of interest in the GNU and its priorities, including efforts to deepen and enhance bilateral relations with the US,” Tau noted.
The delegation also advocated for the early reauthorisation of AGOA, exploring enhancements to increase its utilisation and create policy stability, promoting private sector investment and African exports to the US. There was broad support for bolstering bilateral trade and investment relations between South Africa and the USA.
Resuscitating TIFA
Minister Tau highlighted the positive outcomes of discussions with US Trade Representative Ambassador Catherine Tai, particularly the decision to revive the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) at a Ministerial level. The TIFA, which last convened in 2014, will provide a platform for constructive dialogue and effective resolution of trade-related issues from both sides.
“We instructed our officials to prepare for our first meeting, which will provide a good platform for constructive discussions and effective resolution of trade-related matters from both sides. The resuscitation of the TIFA provides new impetus to our strategic partnership,” Tau said.
The USA remains a strategic trading partner for South Africa, which is the largest non-oil sub-Saharan Africa exporting partner to the US. Through AGOA, South Africa has boosted agricultural and value-added exports, creating much-needed jobs for its citizens.
Looking ahead, the 2025 AGOA Forum will be held in the Democratic Republic of Congo, continuing the tradition of alternating the venue between Africa and the USA.
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