History of Sub-Saharan Africa’s Long Journey towards Economic Emancipation

Abstract

The history of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) i.e., the trade partnership between the US and sub-Saharan African states indicates that the initial Clinton Administration blueprint for this venture was to operate for eight years, from 2000 to 2008. However, in 2004 George Bush, the incoming US president, pushed the AGOA mandate to 2015. Before the AGOA order could expire, its mandate was again extended to 2025 by then US president Barack Obama. This study argues that the lofty ambitions inscribed in the design of AGOA seem not to have lived up to their billing. The study finds that the theoretical win-win proposition that was envisioned does not appear to have yielded the desired economic results for sub-Saharan states mainly because the enterprise is likely a one-sided trade deal in favour of the US. Data for this study was gathered from qualitative and quantitative sources. The study concludes that given the pattern of the US engagements with sub-Saharan Africa, which seems only focused on advancing US national interests, the sub-Saharan region needs to devise alternative trade partnerships if its economy is to grow. The study recommends that sub-Saharan Africa focuses on intra-Africa trade. Alternatively, it should strengthen development cooperation with emerging markets such as the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa).