The US House of Representatives has passed a three-year extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act AGOA, offering a potential lifeline for the US's flagship trade initiative with the continent.
The act - which provides African manufacturers in eligible countries with tariff-free access to the US market - was allowed to lapse on September 30 by the Trump administration, which has proved fiercely sceptical towards international trade agreements.
But a proposed extension until 31 December 2028, sponsored by Republican congressman Jason Smith, will now head to the Senate for approval after the House voted 340-54 in favour. The vote suggests strong bipartisan support in the lower chamber for AGOA, which was first approved by Congress in 2000.
