Senate sends Africa trade bill to president

By Alex Fryer
Seattle Times Washington bureau

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An Africa trade bill championed by Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Seattle, unanimously passed the U.S. Senate late Thursday, clearing the way for the bill to become law.

President Bush has indicated he will sign the latest African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which would maintain lower tariffs on garments manufactured in 37 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

The House passed an identical bill June 14.

"This was an example of the old kind of coalition politics we used to have in Congress," said McDermott, who noted that AGOA attracted bipartisan support.

"We are elated. Finally this saga has come to an end," said Roble Olhaye, ambassador from Djibouti. "We feel there was a lot of goodwill, thanks to Congressman McDermott and others."

Since originally becoming law in 2000, AGOA has created an estimated 150,000 jobs and brought $340 million in foreign investment to the poorest nations in sub-Saharan Africa.

During congressional testimony in April, Yusuf Abdulrahman Nzibo, the Kenyan ambassador, said: "From the shores of Senegal to the Table Mountains in South Africa, AGOA has brought not only hope but tremendous change in our lives."

The burgeoning African apparel industry was in jeopardy when some AGOA provisions were set to expire in September.

Uncertainly over the trade laws caused some African manufacturers to lose orders, and AGOA supporters in Congress knew they had to act.

McDermott said the bill had a strong advocate in Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., who has traveled to Africa.
 
"Once you've seen it (poverty in Africa), you can't be crassly political about it," McDermott said. "There were real human beings who were about to lose their jobs if we didn't pass it."

McDermott, who has been visiting Africa since the early 1960s, is known in some diplomatic circles as the "father of AGOA."

The eight-term congressman traces his interest in Africa from 10 weeks he spent building a schoolhouse in Ghana in 1961. He later joined the State Department and was stationed in Zaire.

In 1994, McDermott called for development of an Africa trade policy by inserting a 17-word directive into a world-trade bill, which became the precursor to AGOA.

Last month, McDermott appeared with other members of Congress to greet singer/humanitarian Bono when he visited Capitol Hill to urge the passage of AGOA.

Alex Fryer: 206-464-8124 or afryer@seattletimes.com