Stephanie Sullivan, US ambassador to Ghana
•US Ambassador Stephanie Sullivan says there is great demand for Ghanaian products in the U.S
•She also said the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has been extended to 2025
•Ghana recorded a total of $748million in 2020 under the AGOA programme, the GNCCI has revealed
US Ambassador to Ghana, Stephanie Sullivan, has said goods from Ghana continue to receive massive patronage in the U.S market.
This, she said, has called for the renewal and extension of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to 2025.
The Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) gives Ghanaian and other African exporters access to the American market.
Speaking to Joy Business American Ambassador to Ghana, Stephanie Sullivan, said the US government is resolved to grant Ghanaian exporters some certainty in their exports to the US.
“AGOA is in force till 2025. That gives us predictability and certainty. There are 18 products that can be exported through the West African Trade Hub. We have done some capacity building to help them meet those standards. One other issue is packaging of which we are dealing with. There is a huge market for Ghanaian products and my team and I are eager to work this out”.
According to the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI), renewed confidence in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) made Ghana record a total of $748million in 2020.
The surge in performance reflects the collective efforts by government and other stakeholders including the chamber in strengthening the country’s exports.
Ghana reached its peak in 2011 with exports earnings of $779 million and a subsequent decline in 2012, when it recorded $292 million.
The country’s performance under AGOA has been sustained by its broadly diversified exports to the USA in the areas of textiles and apparel, energy-related products, agricultural products, footwear, and minerals and metals.
AGOA is a non-reciprocal trade preference programme that provides duty-free and quota-free treatment for exports of over 6,400 products into the US market from eligible Sub-Saharan African countries.