Good for nothing - United States Trade and Development Act

New Internationalist, Jan-Feb, 2001

When President Clinton signed the US Trade and Development Act in May 2000, he declared that the Act would be good `for the United States, good for Africa, good for Central America and the Caribbean'. The most publicized benefit of the Act is that it offers duty- and quota-free access to African products in the US market. But this offer of increased access is only to products that the US deems as not being import-sensitive. Coffee and sugar -- key commodities of immediate export importance to a number of African economies -- are not covered. In response the Act requires extensive African economic liberalization and restructuring and promotes US exports and investment in the region. It seems obvious the main beneficiary of the Act will be the US.

Third World Network