Africa & AGOA

This is the program that keeps African countries tied to hegemon’s apron strings.  Called Agoa, it gives them duty free access to US Market.  That is why some do not even try and change the status quo vis a vis the US.

This is why Nalendi Pandor has nothing to say when Ukraine wants to come and visit.  She has to sit down and I guess, she has to visit.

There is one country now that has shaken the roost.  The US is cutting Uganda out of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) from January 2024 and Uganda is making friends with Iran, because they really do not want to walk the gay road.

US President Biden said that the gov’t of Uganda had “engaged in gross violations of internationally recognised human rights”.

🔹In May, Uganda 🇺🇬 passed an “anti-gay law” which criminalises acts (https://t.me/TheParadigmShiftChannel/1805) of homosexuality using force, threat or undue influence. The World Bank announced (https://allafrica.com/stories/202311070486.html) in August it was suspending new loans to Uganda, and last month the US State Dep’t warned about the risk of doing business there. The US 🇺🇸 may also restrict visas issued to Ugandan officials. (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/30/us-visas-uganda-lgbtq?ref=upstract.com)

🔹Uganda’s President (https://www.theafricareport.com/327080/ugandas-museveni-defiant-over-removal-from-us-trade-pact/) Yoweri Museveni is now telling Ugandans not to be over-concerned by the recent actions by the American gov’t in discouraging US/Western companies from investing in Uganda and on removing Uganda from the AGOA list. He argues that the sanction was intended to force his country to abandon its principles and sovereignty.

🔹Recently, Iranian 🇮🇷 and Ugandan (https://ugc.iranpress.com/content/227134)officials inked four (https://t.me/TheParadigmShiftChannel/1859)cooperation agreements and are in talks to share knowledge on nuclear energy development. Uganda is also one of 18 countries which opened a ‘special rupee vostro account’ in 2023 that allows them to bypass (https://t.me/TheParadigmShiftChannel/1667)the US dollar in trade with India 🇮🇳 using Indian rupees. Last year, Uganda announced that it had discovered 31 million metric tons of gold waiting to be mined and licensed Wagagai gold mining company, a Chinese 🇨🇳firm to start (https://t.me/TheParadigmShiftChannel/1035) producing gold products.

🔹In May, Uganda 🇺🇬 passed an “anti-gay law” which criminalises acts (https://t.me/TheParadigmShiftChannel/1805) of homosexuality using force, threat or undue influence. The World Bank announced (https://allafrica.com/stories/202311070486.html) in August it was suspending new loans to Uganda, and last month the US State Dep’t warned about the risk of doing business there. The US 🇺🇸 may also restrict visas issued to Ugandan officials. (https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/30/us-visas-uganda-lgbtq?ref=upstract.com)

🔹Uganda’s President (https://www.theafricareport.com/327080/ugandas-museveni-defiant-over-removal-from-us-trade-pact/) Yoweri Museveni is now telling Ugandans not to be over-concerned by the recent actions by the American gov’t in discouraging US/Western companies from investing in Uganda and on removing Uganda from the AGOA list. He argues that the sanction was intended to force his country to abandon its principles and sovereignty.

🔹Recently, Iranian 🇮🇷 and Ugandan (https://ugc.iranpress.com/content/227134)officials inked four (https://t.me/TheParadigmShiftChannel/1859)cooperation agreements and are in talks to share knowledge on nuclear energy development. Uganda is also one of 18 countries which opened a ‘special rupee vostro account’ in 2023 that allows them to bypass (https://t.me/TheParadigmShiftChannel/1667)the US dollar in trade with India 🇮🇳 using Indian rupees. Last year, Uganda announced that it had discovered 31 million metric tons of gold waiting to be mined and licensed Wagagai gold mining company, a Chinese 🇨🇳firm to start (https://t.me/TheParadigmShiftChannel/1035) producing gold products.

As far as I am concerned, the African countries that loses Agoa, is one that we should pay attention to.