Thousands of workers in limbo as US-Africa trade deal set to expire

KENYA: At Shona EPZ, a garment factory in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, the tension is inescapable.

The industrious thrum of the heavy-duty sewing machines, along with the workers’ chatter, normally fills the plant with a reassuring rhythm. But today every sound is tinged with uncertainty as the future of the firm is unclear because of the possible end of a key piece of US trade law.

The African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), embedding in legislation a landmark trade agreement that has for 25 years given some African goods duty-free access to the US market, expires on Tuesday.

However, this policy is at odds with the Trump administration’s record of imposing tariffs.

Envoys from various African countries have gone to the US to try to negotiate an extension.

A White House official told the BBC the administration supported a one-year extension to the programme, but this has not yet been announced.

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Considered the cornerstone of US-Africa economic relations, Agoa’s aim was to help industrialise the continent, create employment and lift dozens of countries out of poverty.

It was based on a philosophy of replacing aid with trade.

Agoa has proved very valuable for countries such as Kenya and Lesotho and the fate of thousands of workers, like 29-year-old Joan Wambui, is tied up with its future.

The end of the deal could spell the end of her job.