CONSUMER UNITY AND TRUST SOCIETY CALLS FOR REVISION OF THE AFRICAN GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY ACT

CONSUMER UNITY AND TRUST SOCIETY (CUTS)HAS CALLED FOR THE REVISION OF THE AFRICAN GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY ACT(AGOA) TO ENSURE MORE INCLUSIVENESS, ACCESSIBLE AND PERMANENT BENEFITS CAN EXTEND BEYOND  FEW COUNTRIES AND THE INITIATIVE CAN BE MORE PREDICTABLE.

CUTS STATES THAT AS ZAMBIA HOSTS THE AGOA CONFERENCE, AFRICA SHOULD BE UNITED AND COORDINATED ITS DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES SO THAT THE ENTIRE CONTINENT GAINS.

BUT CUTS SAYS THE ZAMBIA GOVERNMENT, PRIVATE SECTOR AND CIVIL SOCIETY NEED TO COLLABORATE IN DISSEMINATING COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION ON AGOA AND ITS POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO ALL STAKEHOLDERS IN ZAMBIA AND THE SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA.

CUTS ACTING CENTRE COORDINATOR SIMON NG’ONA ADDS THAT GOVERNMENT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CSOS NEED TIME TO RE-EXAMINE THE RULES UNDER MARKET ACCESS SO THAT THEY CAN BE MADE COMMERCIAL VIABLE AND PROVIDE EQUITABLE BENEFITS.

MR NG’ONA SAYS CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS MUST BE EMPOWERED TO SAFEGUARD THE RIGHTS OF CONSUMERS WHILE LIMITING THEIR COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES.

ZAMBIA WILL THIS JUNE HOST THE 10^TH AFRICAN GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY ACT(AGOA) FORUM AT WHICH MORE THAN 2000 DELEGATES FROM ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES IN SUB SAHARAN AFRICA, THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE.

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