The African Growth and Opportunity Act at a Glance

The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is a US-Africa trade agreement established in 2001 that provides duty-free access to the US market for qualifying sub-Saharan African states. While exports from AGOA countries to the US grew by 78% between 2001 and 2014, the trade is heavily dominated by energy and commodities, with mineral fuels and oils accounting for 68% of imports. South Africa is a primary beneficiary, contributing an estimated 62,395 jobs and exporting high-end manufactured goods such as vehicles, unlike many other AGOA partners who rely on raw materials.

• AGOA provides duty-free access to the US market for eligible sub-Saharan African countries without requiring reciprocal market opening. Eligibility depends on commitments to the rule of law, market-based economies, workers' rights, and the removal of trade barriers. As of the document's date, the DRC, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, and Swaziland have lost these preferences for failing to meet these conditions.
• Trade between the US and AGOA countries increased significantly from 2001 to 2014, with exports to the US rising 78% and imports from the US rising 239%. However, the document notes it is unclear how much of this is due to AGOA specifically, as energy products and general African growth also played major roles.
• US imports from AGOA countries are heavily concentrated in energy and commodities, with mineral fuels, oils, and distillation products comprising 68% of imports. This concentration increases to 88% when South African exports are excluded.
• South Africa is a major AGOA partner, benefiting from duty-free access on 9,000 tariff lines and contributing an estimated 62,395 jobs to its economy. Unlike other top exporters like Nigeria and Angola, South Africa exports high-end manufactured goods, specifically vehicles and components.
• Trade benefits under AGOA are unevenly distributed; half of the eligible countries export less than $1 million to the United States. Additionally, the US has been surpassed by China and the European Union as a primary export destination for AGOA countries.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2014). The African Growth and Opportunity Act at a Glance. https://saiia.org.za/research/the-african-growth-and-opportunity-act-at-a-glance/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. The African Growth and Opportunity Act at a Glance. 2014. https://saiia.org.za/research/the-african-growth-and-opportunity-act-at-a-glance/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=The African Growth and Opportunity Act at a Glance |date=31 July 2014 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/the-african-growth-and-opportunity-act-at-a-glance/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2014african, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{The African Growth and Opportunity Act at a Glance}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2014}, month = jul, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/the-african-growth-and-opportunity-act-at-a-glance/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }