Africa-Press – Lesotho. With the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) that has anchored United States (U.S) – Africa relations since 2000 set to expire on September 30, chances for extension or renewal grow increasingly slim.
The key foundational principle that has anchored AGOA is the duty free entry of specific African products into the American market.
Since its establishment, AGOA has helped bolster economic growth, promoted economic and political reform and improved the U.S. economic relations in the African region while in return the U.S. gets leverage over African countries on matters such as respect for the rule of law and ensuring that the latter do not harm U.S national security and foreign policy interests.
While some of factory workers have already left, only a few remain for uncertainty.
Speaking in an interview on Saturday, Ministry of Trade Senior Public Relations Officer Ms. Lihaelo Nkaota told the Agency that following two years of lobbying for the renewal of AGOA, Minister of Trade Mr. Mokhethi Shelile today left the country heading a delegation to the U.S to be part of other African countries to find out their fate on the matter.
She said Minister Shelile is accompanied by Minister of Labour and Employment Mr. Ts’eliso Mokhosi, senior officers from Ministries of Trade and of Foreign Affairs and representatives from Lesotho Textile Exporters Association. She said they will be part of the engagements scheduled to take place from Monday next week which will eventually determine the extension / renewal of AGOA or cancellation of the agreement.
Meanwhile Lesotho’s textile and garment industry workers are preparing to take to the streets in a last-ditch effort to protect thousands of jobs threatened by global trade uncertainty.
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