House Committee Expands Trade Opportunities for African Countries

On May 5, the House Ways and Means Committee approved, by voice vote, a bill (H.R. 4103) to modify and extend through September 30, 2015, provisions of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)(P.L. 106-200). Set to expire in 2008, the law provides duty-free treatment for African goods and provides technical assistance for African countries to help develop their economic infrastructure.

Sponsored by Chair Bill Thomas (R-CA), the AGOA Acceleration Act contains a number of findings, including:

• The AGOA has helped to spur economic growth and bolster economic reforms in the countries of sub-Saharan Africa;
• Expanded trade because of the AGOA has improved fundamental economic conditions within sub-Saharan Africa, including the creation of jobs in the poorest region of the world;
• One of the greatest challenges facing African countries continues to be the HIV/AIDS epidemic, which has infected as many as one out of every four people in some countries, creating tremendous social, political, and economic costs; and
• African countries need continued financial and technical assistance from the United States to combat the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

H.R. 4103 includes a statement of policy, which declares that Congress supports international efforts to fight HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, other infectious diseases, and serious public health problems, and supports many of the aims of the New Partnership for African Development, including:

• Reducing poverty and increasing economic growth;
• Promoting peace, democracy, security, and human rights;
• Expanding access to social services, education, and health services; and Promoting the role of women in social and economic development by reinforcing education and training and by assuring their participation in political and economic arenas.