The Initial and Potential Impactof Preferential Access to the U.S. Market under the AfricanGrowth and Opportunity Act

Brenton, Paul ; Ikezuki, Takako

World Bank, Washington, D.C.

关键词: AFRICAN CAPACITY BUILDING INITIATIVE;    LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES;    FABRICS;    TEXTILE INDUSTRIES;    TEXTILES;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-3262
RP-ID  :  WPS3262

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

The ability to export clothing productsunder preferences with liberal rules of origin is the keyfactor currently determining whether the African Growth andOpportunity Act (AGOA) has a significant impact on non-oilexporting African countries. At present only a small numberof countries receive substantial benefits and leastdeveloped countries that do not receive preferences forclothing have yet to see an impact of AGOA on their overallexports. However, the benefits from exporting clothing underAGOA appear fragile in the face of the removal of quotas inthe United States on major suppliers, such as China, at theend of 2004, and the planned removal of the liberal rules oforigin that allow for the global sourcing of fabrics fromleast-cost locations. To entrench and enhance the benefitsof AGOA, it is important that the scheme be extended over amuch longer period, if not made permanent, and the specialliberal rules of origin for clothing products be extendedconsiderably beyond 2004. The effective inclusion of textileproducts and a number of high-duty agricultural productswould also help to broaden the range of opportunities forAfrican exporters in the U.S. market. Nevertheless it isimportant that the opportunities created by AGOA areintegrated into a broader framework for promoting trade andthat it be recognized that if the opportunities offered bymore open trade are to be exploited, there must be concertedefforts to improve the environment for investment countriescovered by AGOA.