STAFF WRITER
MEMBER states of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) are holding dear to the continuation of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) despite a recent decision by the Donald Trump led administration to slap tariffs on imports.
AGOA is a U.S. law designed to promote economic growth and development in sub-Saharan Africa by providing preferential access to the U.S. market.
It offers eligible African countries duty-free access for over 1,800 products. This trade preference program aims to encourage economic and political reform, foster trade and investment, and facilitate the integration of African nations into the global economy speaking at the ongoing SACU council of ministers minister of finance and the blocs chair Erica Shafudha sais the world’s oldest customs Union has greatly benefited from AGOA in the past and wants it to continue.
“Further to the US tariff issue, you may recall that on the trade front, the AGOA arrangement is coming to an end in September 2025. SACU has greatly benefited from this arrangement in terms of market access,
job creation and revenue generation for national fiscus, as you may recall from the presentation that tralac made during our May 2025 meeting in the Republic of South Africa. We are confident that the Ministers of Trade, as part of the broader bilateral engagements with the US, will negotiate for a possible extension of AGOA,” she said.
She added that ,” Of course, we are aware that this will be a major challenge, but we have full confidence that engagements will bear positive outcomes. We remain
available as the Council to provide any policy and strategic support to this process.”
SACU ministers are meeting in Namibia this week.
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