Pretoria - Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies arrived in Washington DC on Tuesday in a bid to lobby for the renewal of the Africa Growth and Opportunities Act (Agoa).
“Minister Davies will meet with civil society, government, business and congress members to advocate for the renewal of Agoa with South Africa as a beneficiary country,” his spokesman Sidwell Medupe said in a statement.
“South Africa together with sub-Saharan African countries have been calling for the 15-year renewal of Agoa for all eligible countries without any conditionalities.”
Davies joins a delegation of of senior government officials, led by Special Envoy on Agoa Faizel Ismael, who have been in the country since the weekend.
“The South African delegation comprising of business, labour, and government also met with Agoa civil society and Think Tanks, to share views on the renewal of Agoa and there was an overwhelming support for the timely renewal of Agoa for all eligible countries,” said Medupe.
Agoa is a preferential trade scheme which allows countries in sub-Saharan Africa duty free access to US markets for a range of products and vice versa.
It was up for renewal by the US Congress in September.
However, two senators from chicken producing states are demanding South Africa relax trade restrictions on US poultry imports, or face exclusion from Agoa.
The South African Poultry Association (SAPA) and the United States of America Poultry and Egg Export Council (USAPEEC) were in discussions.
SAPA have agreed to a quota of tariff free chicken imports from the US, but an accord has not been reached on the volume of chicken to be allowed access into South Africa under such an agreement.
ANA