President of the United States Joe Biden has revealed plans to expel Uganda, Gabon, Niger and the Central African Republic from a special US-Africa trade programme called African Growth and Opportunity Act.
Biden said that Niger and Gabon – both of which are currently under military rule following coups this year – are ineligible for AGOA because they “have not established, or are not making continual progress toward establishing the protection of political pluralism and the rule of law”. The law, which imposes a death penalty on people found guilty of engaging in certain same-sex acts, has faced global criticism.
Their expulsion from AGOA is set to take effect from the start of next year and is likely to impact their economies, as AGOA has been credited with promoting exports, economic growth and job creation among participating countries. Last month, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said that several American companies had already stopped importing textiles – which fall under the AGOA trade deal – from Uganda because of the passing of the anti-homosexuality law.