The United States has taken an important step toward extending the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), even as debates continue over whether South Africa should remain in the programme.

On December 10, the powerful House Ways and Means Committee approved a bipartisan bill to renew AGOA for three years. The renewal forms part of a wider package of nine bills covering trade, health care, Social Security and taxpayer protections.

Committee Chairman Jason Smith said the legislation strengthens America’s economic and national security interests by keeping strong ties with African partners. He argued that a lapse in AGOA would open the door for China and Russia to expand their influence across the continent.

Africa holds about one-third of the world’s critical minerals, and China has already invested between Ksh1 trillion and Ksh12.9 trillion in efforts to dominate these supply chains.

“The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is the cornerstone of economic relations between the US and sub-Saharan African nations,” the press release read.

“AGOA has the most stringent eligibility criteria of any trade preference program; countries must meet strict standards related to rule of law and political pluralism, anti-corruption, intellectual property rights, human rights and market access. Further, the program ensures beneficiaries do not undermine U.S. national security or foreign policy interests. An extended lapse in AGOA would create a void that malign actors like China and Russia will seek to fill.”

“Africa is home to approximately 30 percent of the world’s critical mineral resources and China has invested $8 to $10 billion in Africa to try to monopolize these essential supply chains. The Trump Administration has focused on stability in Africa, most recently evidenced by President Trump’s work to secure peace between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This bill renews AGOA for 3 years.”

AGOA gives eligible sub-Saharan African countries duty-free access to the U.S. market, but participants must meet strict conditions on the rule of law, human rights, anti-corruption, intellectual property protections and market access. Washington also considers national security and foreign policy when deciding which countries qualify.

The new bill passed the Committee with strong support, earning a 37–3 vote. Smith said renewing AGOA and the separate HOPE/HELP programme with Haiti supports stability abroad while protecting American workers and industries at home.

The HOPE/HELP extension aims to safeguard Haiti’s textile and apparel sector. Lawmakers fear that letting the programme lapse would deepen Haiti’s current instability and undercut U.S. efforts to encourage nearshoring of manufacturing. The bill to renew these benefits passed with a 41–0 vote.

Pressure mounts on Pretoria

While Congress advances its work, the Biden administration, under Trump-era appointments, is signalling a tougher stance toward South Africa. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee that he is open to treating South Africa differently from other African countries in any AGOA extension.

He said the administration supports a one-year renewal of AGOA but views South Africa as a unique problem.

Greer said South Africa has maintained high tariffs and non-tariff barriers on American goods. He argued that Pretoria should open its market to the United States if it wants Washington to reduce its own 30 per cent duties on South African imports. Those tariffs were imposed in August after US officials said they did not receive adequate responses to trade proposals from South Africa.

The remarks come at a time of rising tensions. The United States boycotted South Africa’s G20 summit last month and later said Pretoria would not attend next year’s summit in Miami.

Senior US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and former President Donald Trump, have accused South Africa’s government of racism against white citizens-claims widely dismissed by experts and rights groups.

South Africa’s trade ministry said the country will continue lobbying to remain fully included in AGOA. It described the programme as essential for its economy and for wider U.S.–Africa relations.