US strips Mali, G-Bissau of trade benefits
2012-12-21 10:49
Washington - US President Barack Obama on Thursday stripped
Mali and Guinea-Bissau of their US trade privileges, citing backtracking from
democracy in the two countries.
In an annual assessment of benefits conferred by the Africa
Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) programme, Obama added the fledgling nation
of South Sudan to the list of African nations enjoying preferential trade
treatment.
Both Mali and Guinea-Bissau were hit by coups in the last
year.
US officials said Guinea-Bissau suffers from systemic
corruption, and is an epicentre for drugs and light arms trafficking by
criminal syndicates. Several major donors have suspended projects or pulled
funding this year.
After the coup in Mali, foreign donors were also scared
away, and Washington halted foreign assistance, apart from humanitarian aid and
support for democracy programmes.
The White House said that South Sudan had made measurable
progress despite many development challenges in the last year, especially in
resolving political economic and security issues with Sudan.
"Making South Sudan eligible for benefits under AGOA
could help support this new nation's development," said National Security
Council spokesperson Tommy Vietor.
AGOA, signed into law in 2000, offers incentives for
sub-Saharan African nations to develop free markets, open economies and
accountable political systems.
It allows preferential access to imports from concerned
countries and access to US credit and expertise.
