NAN-F-11
Assessment
Lome, Aug. 10, 2017 (Xinhua/NAN) President Faure Gnassingbe of Togo on Thursday said that the partnership within the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) “must be constantly assessed, revisited and upgraded to remain effective”.
Gnassingbe who was represented by the Prime Minister Selom Klassou made this known in his speech delivered at the ministerial session as part of the 16th AGOA Forum in Lome.
“Regarding the purpose to achieve conditions for shared prosperity by acting on the levers for the fight against poverty, the partnership established by AGOA must be constantly assessed.
“It must be revisited and upgraded to remain effective,’’ Gnassingbe said.
The ministerial session, discussed ways to achieve deeper commercial engagement so as to reach greater reciprocity likely to ensure sustained political support for the trade between the U.S. and eligible sub-Saharan African countries.
“As we gather in Lome as part of the 16th Forum, the onus is on us to continue discussions undertaken to substantial strengthening of this relation by remaining faithful to the concept of trade, not aid,” Gnassingbe said.
He said that he believed that AGOA which is favorable to 6,500 African products is an important pillar of the trade relation between eligible African countries and the U.S.
Gnassingbe said AGOA was driver of important progress in trade exchanges and enabled trade exchanges between the two parties to be doubled.
“However, we must keep in mind that this mechanism is both opportunity and challenge,’’ Gnassingbe said, underscoring that the entire potential of AGOA is not yet achieved. (Xinhua/NAN)
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Edited by Celine-Damilola Oyewole/Sadiya Hamza