From January to December 2008, Ethiopia’s AGOA exports reached 18 million USD, surpassing 8.9 million USD during the 2007 calendar year, according to a statement circulated by USAID while US Ambassador Donald Yamamato held round table discussion with journalists on Tuesday.

The statement said the total Ethiopian exports to the US. also rose 172 percent, to 152 million USD from 88 million USD the year before.

“This is a huge accomplishment. Ethiopia is one of the few African countries to show such a steady, marked increase in exports, “the statement quoted Addis Alemayehu, Chief of Party of USAID’s VEGA Ethiopia AGOA+ Program, as having said.

Ethiopia’s growth rate for AGOA-eligible exports in 2008 is much higher that the 30 percent average of other AGOA nations.

The textile and garments sector, long considered an under performer given its potential in Ethiopia and the competitive advantage offered under AGOA’s Zero tariff preference, achieved the total exports with an impressive increase of over 100 percent from 4.5 million USD in 2007 to 9.3 million USD in 2008. Other sectors that benefit from AGOA also recorded significant increases, including agriculture products (100 percent), minerals and metals (471 percent), and other manufactures (243 percent), according to the statement.

Yamamato also said “We have doubled Ethiopia’s export through AGOA. That means we have been creating more jobs when we double it every time. Our project now is to create more sustainable long-time jobs by increasing import-export trade. And we have the general objective of improving Ethiopia’s export such as hides and skins, cut flower and coffee, among others. We are looking to other opportunities to work hard in the agriculture sector.”

The VEGA Ethiopia AGOA+ Program, funded by the USAID, is the only stand-alone trade promotion program in Africa working to increase exports to the U.S under AGOA. USIAD’s VEGA Ethiopia AGOA + Program has been operating in Ethiopia for the last four years, providing targeted intervention to support Ethiopian exporters gain a foothold in the US market.

R..10:35-11:30 am

---END---