The U.S. declines Ethiopia’s request for the restoration of AGOA access

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Addis Ababa (ANN)– This week Mike Hammer, U.S. Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa, was in Ethiopia and had a meeting with Taye Atske-Selassie, Ethiopia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs.

While the security situation in the Horn of Africa, Tigray and the implementation of the Pretoria Cessation of Hostility Agreement were   agenda items, the Ethiopian government seems to have picked an economic topic for discussion.

According to a disclosure from the Ministry, Taye “called for the restoration of Ethiopia’s status in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). ”  AGOA is a U.S. legislation that was introduced in 2000 to allow African countries to have duty-free access to the US market for their export items that fall within the lists of products (over 1,800) that are allowed.

However, there was no  positive response from the United States.  Mike Hammer, on Friday during his presser from the U.S. Embassy, remarked why it will be difficult to restore AGOA. He made a reference to his country’s law related to human rights that will make the restoration possible. what he called the “unfortunate situation in the Amhara region” and the conflicts in Oromia , and the human rights abuse as factors.

The U.S. decision seems a confirmation that government forces have been engaged in extensive human rights abuse in the Amhara region. There have been multiple human rights organizations (in the country and abroad) report.

The United States activated AGOA related sanction regime against Abiy Ahmed’s government during the war between his government and TPLF forces.

The volume of Ethiopia’s export to the United States has been under $1 billion and the bulk of it was from coffee export. Garment export was started but it was affected by the restriction that the U.S. imposed.  There were reports that  manufacturers operating from Ethiopia’s Industrial Parks left the country due to a combination of factors and AGOA restrictions seems to be one of them.

Despite all that, the U.S. government and Abiy Ahmed’s administration seems to have a subtle cordial relation. Some speculate that Abiy Ahmed’s government would have collapsed a long time ago had it not been for the support from the U.S. government and its allies.

Currently the U.S. government is secretly working to mediate between Fano forces and Abiy Ahmed led government but the Fano forces have not confirmed about it.