AGOA office starts nation-wide sensitisation

Sep 05, 2005

THE African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Country Office has started a nation-wide campaign to sensitise stakeholders on how to benefit from the US-quota and tariff free trade initiative.

By Fortunate Ahimbisibwe

THE African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Country Office has started a nation-wide campaign to sensitise stakeholders on how to benefit from the US-quota and tariff free trade initiative.

Susan Muhwezi, the special presidential assistance on AGOA and trade, said recently that the programme would cover all the districts across the country.
It will facilitate leaders on which Ugandan products can benefit from AGOA. AGOA is a US government initiative to promote trade with selected African countries.

She was addressing over 200 participants at Rukungiri Council Hall where one of a series of sensitisation workshops was held.

Community, political and religious leaders, and farmers attended. Muhwezi said a similar seminar had been conducted in Bushenyi.

“We shall go throughout all the districts to educate people on what they should concentrate on for the US market. We urge all Ugandans to make use of this opportunity,” she said.

Muhwezi said people should put aside political differences and work together to benefit from the AGOA initiative, which allows over 2,000 commodities.

“The war against poverty should be a priority instead of fighting amongst ourselves. The American market is big but we do not have what to sell there,” she said.

Muhwezi said Uganda was behind schedule on the AGOA initiative.

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