U.S. officials visiting South Africa this week to meet African trade ministers will face calls to reauthorise the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) which expires in 2025.
Apparel companies and industry insiders warn that Africa risks a once-in-a-generation shift away from Chinese manufacturing passing it by, with an estimated 240,000 to 290,000 jobs such as Nasimiyu's under threat.
Apparel has been the standout success story of AGOA, which launched in 2000 to help develop African economies and foster democracy.
African apparel exports under the programme reached nearly $1.4 billion last year, double the amount pre-AGOA.
"We've been struck by how open the opportunity is now for us," South African Trade Minister Ebrahim Patel said last week.
Persons:
Norah Nasimiyu, Thomas Mukoya, Pankaj Bedi, Norah Nasimiyu's, We've, Ebrahim Patel, Stephen Lamar, Michael Walsh, Constance Hamilton, Biden, Greg Poole, Bedi, Joe Bavier, Duncan Miriri, Alexander Smith
Organizations:
United Aryan, Processing, The U.S, REUTERS, U.S . Congress, AFRICA Industry, African Trade, United States Fashion Industry Association, American Apparel and Footwear Association, Congress, Research, U.S . International Trade Commission, GSP, UAL, Thomson
Locations:
Ruaraka district, Nairobi, Kenya, China, NAIROBI, U.S, South Africa, Africa, Philadelphia, Moscow, Beijing, Russia, Lesotho, Madagascar, Ethiopia, AGOA, gridlock, United States, Johannesburg