The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) is on Thursday hosting the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) Provincial Consultative Dialogue in Pretoria.

The dialogue is being held under the theme, 'Understanding the Benefit of AGOA to SA Exporters'.

These consultative dialogues aim to engage with AGOA beneficiary export companies and identify the challenges faced by exporters, fostering productive dialogue and collaboration.

In the first phase, the consultative dialogues will be rolled out across five provinces, namely Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Limpopo and Western Cape.

AGOA is legislation that was passed by the United States (US) Congress in May 2000. It provides eligible sub-Saharan African countries with duty-free access to the US market for over 1800 products, in addition to the more than 5,000 products that are eligible for duty-free access under the Generalised System of Preferences programme.

The dialogues will provide a platform for exporters to gain a deeper understanding of AGOA and its immense potential to drive trade and investment in the region.

Acting Director-General of the dtic, Malebo Mabitje-Thompson, will deliver a keynote address at the symposium to emphasise the importance of AGOA in enhancing export capabilities and building strong partnerships.

“During the dialogue, participants will have the opportunity to engage in interactive discussions, and networking sessions. Industry experts and government officials will share their insights and experiences, addressing the challenges faced by exporters and exploring strategies to overcome them,” she said.

The symposium will focus on the following key areas:

Enhancing knowledge and understanding of AGOA regulations and requirements.

Identifying barriers and challenges faced by exporters.

Providing guidance on accessing support services, incentives and resources available to exporters.

Source: South African Government News Agency