VOA标准英语2015--支持者呼吁修改非洲增长与机会法

Some AGOA Renewal¹ Supporters Call for Amendments 支持者呼吁修改非洲增长与机会法

The African Growth and Opportunity Act — a trade provision that allows thousands of products from African countries to enter the U.S. tax-free — is due to expire in September. While the U.S. Senate has recently passed legislation to extend the Act for another 10 years, it still has to go through the House of Representatives. Meanwhile, many say the program has only benefited a few sub-Saharan African countries and needs some revisions.

When President Obama visited Africa two years ago, people were visibly excited. But local business owners such as Sadiya Gueye of Senegal hoped the U.S. leader would address export barriers, which, she thinks, remain too high for small businesses like her clothing design workshop that exports to the U.S.

"In the textile sector², AGOA brings with it lots of restrictionsm," said Gueye. "Since we signed the agreement, people are always holding meetings left and right, but I believe that we have not been able to do anything real."

According to Serigne Aliou Diop of Asepex, the agency in charge of promoting Senegalese exports — including fisheries, agricultural and artisanal products — AGOA has benefitted the country.

“Today after 13 to 14 years of being eligible³, I don’t think Senegal has really benefited from AGOA," Diop told VOA. "Some of it is due to the limited financial capacities of our companies: the quasi-inexistence of cargo⁴ flights to the U.S and the strict rules regarding our products."

According to the U.S Department of Commerce, the top five AGOA beneficiary countries are Angola, Nigeria, South Africa, Chad and Gabon. Among other leading beneficiaries: Lesotho, which has one of the largest textile industries with about 40 plants mainly run by Asian businessmen.

While the program is working for countries like Lesotho, it's not the norm for all eligible countries.

"In its peak year, 2008, [the program drove] $80 billion," in revenue, said Rick Helfenbein, chairman of the American Apparel and Footwear Association. "However, 2014 finished [with] $23 billion.

“Sixty seven percent was energy-related," he added. "Where is the other 33 percent? Twenty of the 33 percent is South African ... 13 percent of the 33 percent in non-energy coming from 35 countries. Underutilized, completely underutilized."

Last year, U.S. imports from sub-Saharan Africa decreased by 32 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. The reason was mostly due to a 51 percent decrease in U.S. oil imports from the region. But Senatore Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), who heads the Senate Finance Committee, recently praised the trade agreement.

“Since AGOA was enacted⁵ in the year 2000, trade with beneficiary countries has more than tripled, with U.S. direct investments growing more than sixfold," he said. "The program has helped create more than 2 million jobs."

Hatch, who helped craft the reauthorization language for the new bill, says that in order to improve on AGOA’s past successes, it is important to allow both sub-Saharan Africa and the U.S. to benefit from expanded market access.

1 renewal   

adj.(契约)延期，续订，更新，复活，重来

参考例句：

• Her contract is coming up for renewal in the autumn.她的合同秋天就应该续签了。
• Easter eggs symbolize the renewal of life.复活蛋象征新生。

2 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

3 eligible   

adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的

参考例句：

• He is an eligible young man.他是一个合格的年轻人。
• Helen married an eligible bachelor.海伦嫁给了一个中意的单身汉。

4 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

5 enacted   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• legislation enacted by parliament 由议会通过的法律
• Outside in the little lobby another scene was begin enacted. 外面的小休息室里又是另一番景象。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹