Rwanda claims withdrawal of AGOA “at discretion of U.S.”

President Paul Kagame of Rwanda

President Paul Kagame of Rwandae

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The withdrawal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) benefits is “at the discretion of the U.S.”, the Rwandan government has said.

In a letter to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate revealed by the White House on March 29, U.S. President Donald Trump said he was providing advance notification of his intent to suspend the application of duty-free treatment to all AGOA-eligible goods in the apparel sector for Rwanda.

The government of Rwanda continues to impose barriers to United States trade, specifically, barriers affecting certain U.S. exports of apparel products, Trump said in the letter.

The notification by the U. S. on suspension of duty-free status for Rwandan apparel products under the AGOA follows
a decision by East African countries to raise tariffs on second-hand clothing imports.

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This, is in order to promote local manufacturing capacity in garment and other industries, said Rwandan Ministry of
Trade and Industry in a statement.

The ministry said AGOA is a commendable unilateral gesture to African countries, including Rwanda, meant to promote trade and development through exports.

“The withdrawal of AGOA benefits is at the discretion of the U.S.,” the ministry said.

AGOA is a U.S. trade act that enhances market access to the U.S. for qualifying sub-Saharan African countries.

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