The Foreign Service Journal, May 2004

M A Y 2 0 0 4 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 43 F O C U S O N A F R I C A AGOA: O PENING D OORS t a Senate Finance Committee hearing on March 10, 2004, United States Trade Representative Robert Zoellick stated that the African Growth and Opportunity Act had been an unqualified success. He cited increases in imports from Africa of $14.1 billion, a rise of 55 percent since the signing of the legislation in May 2000. Ambassador Zoellick implied that AGOA was an example of the power of trade agreements as an engine of growth and a valid instrument of United States foreign policy in the 21st century. Zoellick could also have cited the increased role that Africa plays in the arena of global trade policy. Indeed, the A T HE A FRICAN G ROWTH AND O PPORTUNITY A CT HAS HELPED INCREASE A FRICA ’ S INVOLVEMENT WITH THE GLOBAL ECONOMY . B UT MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE . B Y A NTHONY C ARROLL David Dean