While some believe reauthorisation will be resolved at the US–Africa Leaders Summit in August 2014, several steps must be completed before AGOA can be renewed. The legislative process is under way as members of congress and their staff have started to examine whether to reauthorise AGOA, and if it is reauthorised, for how long and what changes need to be made.
On 4–6 August 2014, approximately 51 African leaders will descend on Washington, DC for the first ever US–Africa Leaders Summit. African leaders are expected to arrive with a list of items to address with US President Barack Obama and his administration, with the need to expeditiously reauthorise AGOA near the top. In preparation for the summit, the African Union recently announced the formation of a committee to devise a unified African position in advance of AGOA ‘negotiations’. While President Obama and his administration play a crucial role in the debate over AGOA renewal, African AGOA stakeholders should prioritise their advocacy on the US Legislative Branch rather than the US Executive Branch.
