The Minister of Information and Communication Infrastructure, Demba Ali Jawo, has issued a press release confirming that The Gambia has regained its eligibility under the US African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
The Gambia had lost its eligibility in 2015 due to human rights abuses and the deterioration of the rule of law.
The US Trade Representative’s Office announced on Friday 22 December 2017 that the US Embassy in Banjul had officially requested reinstatement of the Gambia’s AGOA eligibility due to progress made in strengthening the rule of law, improving human rights and supporting political pluralism.
The reinstatement of The Gambia to AGOA comes on the heels of the inclusion of the Gambia for a new Threshold Programme of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) and the inclusion of former President Yahya AJJ Jammeh and Yankuba Badjie, former head of the NIA on a US sanctions list.
The AGOA trade program provides sub-Saharan countries duty-free access to the United States on condition they meet certain statutory eligibility requirements, including eliminating barriers to US trade and investment and making progress toward political pluralism.
