Agoa benefits outweigh any sector interests

AMBASSADOR Faizel Ismail’s article “Agoa is of mutual benefit to SA and US” (17 March) is a crucial reading for readers who care about growth in Africa, South Africa and the future of US-Africa relations. The ambassador carefully explains the reasons behind the unfortunate hold-up in Agoa renewal talks.

Ambassador Ismail, South Africa’s special envoy on Agoa, makes a reasoned and responsible argument for Agoa’s renewal. His article importantly notes that Agoa has played a tremendously positive role in job creation and economic growth in South Africa. More broadly, Africa has a vested interest in seeing South Africa’s inclusion in the agreement renewed.

We should also remember that the World Trade Organisation has subsequently discredited the costing system that was used by the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (Itac) in the original anti-dumping investigation of US exports. Applying currently acceptable costing methods, it would be unlikely that any dumping by the US would have been found by Itac.

As the ambassador notes, we simply cannot allow the “narrow vested interests” of the South African Poultry Association (Sapa) to discontinue the essential economic benefits that Agoa brings to South Africa and the continent as a whole. DAVID WOLPERT CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF ASSOCIATION OF MEAT IMPORTERS AND EXPORTERS OF SA