The US Congress sanctioned a two-year extension covering the Haiti HOPE/HELP programmes together with AGOA.
The move guarantees continued duty-free entry into the US market for exporters based across sub-Saharan Africa and Haiti and has particularly benefited the apparel industry of those countries.
Running for 25 years, AGOA presently allows 32 eligible sub-Saharan African nations to ship more than 1,800 products duty-free into the US, alongside over 5,000 goods encompassed within the Generalised System of Preferences.
Similarly, the Haiti Economic Lift Program (HOPE/HELP), active for more than 15 years, delivers duty-free entry for more than 5,000 Haitian apparel and textile products.
Established and broadened following the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the initiative was crafted to help rebuild Haiti’s textile and garment sector and reinforce business ties between the two nations.
Both AGOA and Haiti HOPE/HELP had been due to lapse at the close of 2026 but will now run through until the end of 2028.
Welcoming the extension, the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) stated that AGOA has strengthened US exports across textiles and agriculture, whilst deepening commercial links between the United States and African nations.
Image courtesy: Freepik
