博茨瓦纳为《非洲增长与机会法》制定新战略

 

Botswana to develop new strategies for AGOA: Minister

Botswana would develop new strategies during the financial year 2016-17 to take better advantage of opportunities under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), acting trade minister Sadique Kebonang told the country's Parliament, according to an African daily.

The new strategies are anticipated to increase competitiveness and diversification of beneficiary exports to the US. Botswana is one of the countries with limited success in utilising the preferential market under the US AGOA.

Since the commencement of AGOA, Botswana participated in eight sectors in textiles apparel, chemicals, machinery, agriculture, minerals metals, forestry, transport equipment and electronic products.

In the period of 2001-14, exports from AGOA-eligible countries increased by threefold from $1.3 billion to $4.4 billion. However, Botswana's exports to the US in the year 2008 was mere $15 million compared to Lesotho, which exported goods worth $350 million under the AGOA scheme.

AGOA is a unilateral trade arrangement by the US for African member states. It was signed into law in 2000, for a period of eight years, and was further extended until September 30, 2025. The benefits provided by AGOA have allowed for an average of around 70 per cent of all imports from Sub-Saharan Africa to enter the US duty-free.

译文如下：

博茨瓦纳为《非洲增长与机会法》制定新战略

博茨瓦纳将在2016-2017财年制定新策略以更好地利用《非洲增长与机会法》(AGOA)的机会,代理贸易部长Sadique Kebonang告诉该国议会,根据非洲日报。

新的战略预计将增加对美国出口受益的竞争力和多元化。博茨瓦纳是一个根据美国的《非洲增长与机会法》成功利用优惠市场的国家。

《非洲增长与机会法》开始以来,博茨瓦纳在纺织品服装、化工、机械、农业、矿产金属、林业、运输设备和电子产品八个领域参与。

在2001-2014阶段,从AGOA资格国家的出口增加了三倍从13亿美元到44亿美元。然而,在《非洲增长与机会法》计划下，2008年博茨瓦纳对美出口与莱索托相比仅1500万美元，而莱索托对美出口价值为3.5亿美元。

《非洲增长与机会法》是一个美国对非洲成员国的单边贸易协议。它在2000年被签署成为法律,为期八年,并进一步扩展到2025年9月30日。《非洲增长与机会法》提供的好处让平均约70%来自撒哈拉以南非洲免税进入美国。