ONE celebrates President Obama’s signing of Africa trade bill

The landmark African Growth and Opportunity Act was reauthorized for 10 years

WASHINGTON – The ONE Campaign today applauded the enactment of legislation reauthorizing the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) through 2025. Since its initial passage in 2000, this bipartisan trade preference program has played an integral role in creating economic opportunity in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as supporting nearly 120,000 jobs in the United States. The ONE Campaign’s U.S. executive director, Tom Hart, was at the White House on Monday for President Obama’s signing of the legislation and released the following statement:

“Trade is essential to driving economic growth, creating jobs, and reducing poverty in sub-Saharan Africa. The United States supports heroic work to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, hunger, and poverty around the world, and while this assistance will remain necessary for some time, that time will be shorter when trade — not aid — defines our relationship with Africa. A new middle class is forming in sub-Saharan Africa and the possibilities for partnership and growth are limitless. By breathing new life into AGOA, the United States is pursuing a smart trade strategy with a region now home to some of the fastest growing economies in the world.

“The ONE Campaign’s nearly seven million supporters in the United States, Africa, and around the world are grateful that Democrats and Republicans in Congress came together to renew AGOA, and that President Obama signed it into law today.”

Hart testified in support of AGOA before the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy in April.