Senior Agricultural Economist with the National Agricultural Marketing Council, Thabile Nkunjana says South Africa has to make some adjustments following the approval of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Extension Bill by the US House of Representatives.

The draft legislation which would extend AGOA until December 2028, still needs the US Senate and presidential approval.

RELATED VIDEO | US House of Representatives approve AGOA extension:

The AGOA, which was first enacted in 2000 provides duty-free access to the US markets for eligible Sub-Saharan countries, including South Africa.

“Specifically for South Africa, there might be some sort of adjustment for South Africa being part of it, given the fact that part of the eligibility of countries within the AGOA, is that countries need to align with the US interests,” says Nkunjana.

[LISTEN] The US House of Representatives has approved a 3-year extension of AGOA. Steven Gruzd, from the South African Institute of International Affairs has raised concern that South Africa could be excluded.

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She says that one of the adjustments are the human rights issues that the US has brought up as far as the Afrikaaners are concerned.

“These are some of the fundamental issues that South Africa specifically needs to look at. Generally with the AGOA, even from the senate, I can see it going forward and being approved but for South Africa it remains quite sticky for now,” says Nkunjana.

WATCH | DTIC Deputy DG Xolelwa Mlumbi-Peter says South Africa is the major beneficiary of AGOA, adding that any removal of SA would diminish the effectiveness of the programme. pic.twitter.com/V8kFU4B3Sz

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