Navigating the US Congressional Process of Reauthorising AGOA

This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the legislative process for reauthorising the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which was scheduled to expire on 30 September 2015. The author argues that African stakeholders should focus their advocacy on the US Congress rather than the Executive Branch, as the legislative process is complex and subject to partisan stalemates and lobbying from US interest groups.

• The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is a nonreciprocal trade preference programme providing eligible sub-Saharan African countries duty-free access to the US market for over 6,400 products, expanding upon the approximately 4,600 items covered by the Generalized System of Preferences.
• AGOA was scheduled to expire on 30 September 2015, and the US Executive Branch initiated four investigations via the US International Trade Commission (USITC) to assess its impact on sub-Saharan Africa and US industries.
• The reauthorisation process is led by the US Congress, specifically the House Foreign Affairs and House Ways and Means Committees for initial drafting, with the Senate Finance Committee expected to have jurisdiction for Senate consideration.
• Swift reauthorisation is unlikely due to a partisan stalemate where the Democratic Party controls the White House and Senate, while the Republican Party controls the House, alongside complications from the November 2014 congressional elections.
• Past delays in AGOA provisions have caused significant economic harm; for example, the late reauthorisation of the Third Country Fabric Provision in September 2012 reportedly reduced new apparel orders by 3035 percent in 2012 compared to 2011.
• US interest groups have opposed a long-term or permanent extension of AGOA, citing unfair and World Trade Organization-incompatible barriers to US agricultural exports that threaten US jobs.
• Despite obstacles, there is evidence of bipartisan and bicameral support, including a December 2013 request by 16 members of the committees of jurisdiction for the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to examine ways to increase AGOA's effectiveness.

APA

Tamarkin, E. (2014). Navigating the US Congressional Process of Reauthorising AGOA. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Policy-Briefing-100.pdf

Chicago

Tamarkin, Eric. Navigating the US Congressional Process of Reauthorising AGOA. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2014. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Policy-Briefing-100.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Tamarkin |first1=Eric |title=Navigating the US Congressional Process of Reauthorising AGOA |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=July 2014 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Policy-Briefing-100.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{tamarkin2014navigating, author = {Tamarkin, Eric}, title = {{Navigating the US Congressional Process of Reauthorising AGOA}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2014}, month = jul, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Policy-Briefing-100.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }