Musings From Abroad

US removes Uganda, Gabon, 2 others from AGOA. Here’s why

Published

11 months ago

January 3, 2024

Uganda is no longer able to export specific goods to the United States duty-free after Washington formally revoked eligibility for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) for Uganda and three other African nations.

President Joe Biden announced his decision to delist the four nations in a decree dated December 29, stating that he had “determined” that they “do not meet the requirements” necessary to allow them to continue benefiting from the trade deal.

“Accordingly, I have decided to terminate the designations of the Central African Republic, Gabon, Niger, and Uganda as beneficiary sub-Saharan African countries for purposes of Section 506A of the Trade Act, effective January 1, 2024,” read the statement by the US President.

Uganda has “engaged in gross violations of internationally recognised human rights,” according to Mr Biden, who stated his intention to remove the four nations from the list of Agoa beneficiaries in a letter dated October 20, 2023, to the US Congress speaker.

Experts have warned that Uganda’s removal from the agreement could result in the loss of thousands of jobs, a decline in foreign exchange earnings, and low local raw material utilisation. Uganda has greatly benefited from the Agoa legislation, which was established in 2000 and allows several African nations to export numerous commodities to the US duty-free.

According to data from the US Department of Commerce, Uganda’s exports under Agoa to the US in the 12 months leading up to June 2023 were $8.2 million, or roughly 11.5% of its total exports to the US during that time, which came to $70.7 million.

About 72% of Uganda’s workforce works in agriculture, which accounts for over 80% of the country’s exports under AGOA and suggests that the expulsion could have a major negative impact on employment.

Uganda has been in Western “bad books” since President Yoweri Museveni assented to the anti-gay law passed by the Ugandan lawmakers last year. For Gabon and Niger, their removal is tied to military juntas ousting their respective elected governments.

Musings From Abroad

Nigeria, India to strengthen counterterrorism, maritime security cooperation

Published

1 day ago

November 18, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

During a state visit to Nigeria on Sunday, Indian Prime Minister, Narendra, Modi reached an agreement, on behalf of his country, to strengthen cooperation in counterterrorism, intelligence, and maritime security.

President Bola Tinubu invited Modi to visit Nigeria, the first Indian prime minister to do so in 17 years.

Tinubu is looking for investments from some of the largest economies in the world.

In addition to discussing economic development, defence, healthcare, and food security, Modi and Tinubu met at the presidential mansion on Sunday after arriving in the capital, Abuja, on Saturday night, according to a joint statement.

The two nations decided to work together to protect maritime trade routes and fight piracy in response to the mounting risks in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Guinea.

The most populous country in Africa, Nigeria, is looking to attract more Indian investment and lower-cost credit lines in order to strengthen its economy and generate employment.

Nigeria announced last year that it had obtained about $14 billion in pledges from Indian businesses, including Jindal Steel and Power, which promised to spend $3 billion in Nigeria’s steel industry, during the G20 conference.

Over 200 Indian businesses are present in Nigeria.

Modi was scheduled to go to Brazil for this year’s G20 conference after Nigeria.

Nigeria and India have a long-standing and cordial bilateral relationship. Nigeria, home to more than 200 million people, and India, home to 1.3 billion people, are both sizable emerging nations with multilingual, multiethnic, and multireligious communities.

Musings From Abroad

Military advisors from Russia arrive Equatorial Guinea

Published

2 days ago

November 17, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Russian military advisors are in Equatorial Guinea training indigenous soldiers.

Anonymous sources cited by Reuters during the week claim that between 100 and 200 Russian instructors are training with elite guards in charge of guarding the President and the first family.

The males had been seen in Malabo, the country’s capital, and Bata, its second city. Reports of Russian forces stationed in the nation initially appeared in August.

Oil-rich Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has maintained close relations with Moscow.

Nguema travelled to Moscow in September to attend the Russian Energy Week International Forum.

Russia has strengthened military connections with African countries, sending advisors and combat soldiers to the Central African Republic, Mozambique, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso.

Faced with an Islamist terrorist insurrection, three Sahel countries have turned to Moscow for support, expelling French and American troops.