The
Gambia has regained its eligibility under the United States African Growth and
Opportunity Act (AGOA), after losing its eligibility in 2015.
According
to a media release from the Ministry of Information, the U.S. Trade
Representative’s Office announced on Friday Dec. 22, 2017 that the U.S. Embassy
in Banjul had officially requested reinstatement of The Gambia’s AGOA
eligibility.
The
reinstatement is due to progress made in strengthening the rule of law,
improving human rights and supporting political pluralism in the Gambia.
The
AGOA was signed into law on May 18th, 2000 as a Trade and Development Act of
2000. It offers tangible incentives for African countries to continue their
efforts to open their economies and build free markets.
Since
2015, The Gambia lost its eligibility due to human rights abuses and the
deterioration of the rule of law.
The
reinstatement, however, comes on the heels of the inclusion of The Gambia for a
new Threshold Program of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and the
inclusion of former President Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh and Yankuba Badjie, former
head of the NIA on a U.S. sanctions list.
The
AGOA trade program provides sub-Saharan countries duty-free access to the
United States on condition they meet certain statutory eligibility
requirements, including eliminating barriers to U.S. trade and investment and making
progress toward political pluralism.