Trade Hub and African Partners Network

The Trade Hub and its partners offer expert knowledge and guidance to West African firms to understand the full range of opportunities and take advantage of AGOA's duty-free benefits. This initiative aims to promote investment, trade competitiveness, and economic growth in West Africa. The Trade Hub facilitates the practical use of AGOA's trade preferences through a network of AGOA/Trade Resource Centers (ATRCs) across the region. These centers are housed in chambers of commerce and export promotion agencies and provide targeted business advisory services and training to local businesses in their respective countries. The ATRCs aim to boost regional and international trade by addressing the soft infrastructural levers to trade, such as export strategies and clear export procedures. Technical assistance is provided to countries to help them address specific AGOA-related issues. The Trade Hub also supports U.S. Government institutions and host government institutions in handling AGOA-related issues. The AGOA Export Toolkit, a CD-ROM with sector-specific information for exporters and the latest information on AGOA, is produced and distributed by the Trade Hub. This resource is available online at http://trade.gov/agoa, along with a list of eligible products. The Trade Hub has established a network of ATRCs across West Africa, with centers in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Each center provides business advisory services and training to local businesses, helping them to take advantage of AGOA's duty-free benefits. The Trade Hub also has offices in Accra, Ghana; Dakar, Senegal; and Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, providing a physical presence for businesses to access support and guidance. The Trade Hub's efforts aim to promote economic growth and trade competitiveness in West Africa. By providing expert knowledge and guidance, technical assistance, and business advisory services, the Trade Hub helps West African firms to understand and take advantage of AGOA's duty-free benefits. This, in turn, is expected to boost regional and international trade, promoting investment and economic growth in the region.