Kenya’s implementation of AGOA

Abstract

In this project, the researcher assesses the impact of the implementation of the Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) initiative by the American government to Sub- Saharan African countries as a whole with a bias to the Kenyan experience. Literature pertaining to this course was reviewed although being a fairly new initiative the research heavily relied on secondary sources. Of interest in this paper was to establish if Kenya and Africa as a whole is ready to benefit from the programme, or if their policies and structures hinder them from enjoying these benefits or whether the United States of America had imposed conditions that made the benefits seem to be far fetched and how best Sub-Saharan countries could reap maximum benefits from the project. The researcher in giving recommendations was limited as the programme is still ongoing, and amendments to the bill that formed the act are still taking place. In conclusion, it was clear that Kenya had reaped benefits from AGOA despite them being concentrated in the textile industry. It also emerged that Kenya in teaming lip with other eligible countries to the programme might come up with solutions on how to benefit from trade under AGOA and also on how to use trade as a tool for economic growth.