The African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) no longer applies to Uganda as a result of the US pulling out of the country at the end of December.
With effect from January 1, the United States also withdrew three additional African nations from Agoa: Niger, Gabon, and the Central African Republic.
Under the Dec. 29 decree signed by US President Joe Biden, Kampala will no longer be able to export specific goods to the US duty-free. The Ugandan economy, which has greatly profited from the programme since its inception in 2000, could be severely impacted.
The decision was made in response to Uganda’s contentious Anti-Homosexuality Act, which was passed last year and carries a life sentence or even the death penalty for same-sex behaviour.
Biden claimed in October that “gross violations of internationally recognised human rights” were the reason Uganda was kicked out of Agoa.
In a letter to the US House Speaker, Biden stated, “Despite intensive engagement between the United States and the Central African Republic, Gabon, Niger, and Uganda, these countries have failed to address United States concerns about their non-compliance with the Agoa eligibility criteria.”
With Agoa, eligible sub-Saharan African nations can import more than 1,800 products into the US duty-free.
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