The African Union has called on the U.S. Senate to approve a three-year extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
The bill was passed on Wednesday by the House of Representatives, following 340 yes votes against 54 votes.
AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf welcomed the House vote, describing AGOA as a cornerstone of US–Africa economic relations.
He similarly urged the U.S. Senate to act swiftly. The last approved AGOA instrument expired last September.
Enacted in 2000, the platform grants duty-free access to nearly 40 sub-Saharan African nations to US markets.
