New strategy seen boosting AGOA exports
Tuesday, November 08, 2016
Window of opportunity
The majority of local businesses have always failed to reap the benefits of AGOA, which is a US Trade Act that enhances market access to the US for qualifying sub-Saharan African countries.
According to the deputy permanent secretary in the ministry of investment, trade and industry, Ontlametse Ward despite the market access opportunity for goods and services granted under AGOA, Botswana’s exports remain undiversified. Addressing delegates yesterday at the validation workshop of the draft AGOA national response strategy in Gaborone, she said this impacts negatively on the export sector and growth of the country.
Speaker of the National Assembly, Dithapelo Keorapetse, has this week rightly washed his hands of the mess, refusing to wade into a party squabble that has no clear leadership and no single version of the truth.When a single party sends six different letters to the Speaker’s office, each claiming to be the authoritative voice, it is not just confusion, but an embarrassment.Keorapetse is correct to insist on institutional boundaries. Parliament...