Coordinators from AGOA Trade Resource Centers, ATRCs, in Nigeria as well as Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Senegal were trained on trade intelligence, export development, business promotion and trade facilitation for existing and potential exporters.
Participants also learned best practices across the region and shared experiences in supporting exporters.
The ATRCs have assisted over 2,700 businesses seeking to export to the US under AGOA, which waives duties and quotas on thousands of goods made in eligible sub-Saharan African countries.
Since 2005, USAID has provided grants to build the sustainability of the ATRC network and the host institutions that provide trade-related services to private sector companies. The grants cover training and the costs of building a database of exporters, further enabling ATRCs to develop exporters’ capacity, market linkages, and sector-specific strategies to boost trade.
USAID supports greater use of AGOA’s tariff advantages across West Africa. Each ATRC is expected to undertake activities that enhance the export potential of companies seeking to take advantage of AGOA. These activities include developing and providing trade intelligence services through trade and business associations or directly to individual businesses.
