Four African countries will no longer have access to trade facilities for their exports to the United States: Niger, Gabon, Uganda and the Central African Republic..

AGOA is the acronym for the African Growth Opportunities Act: the countries covered are exempt from customs duties for exporting their production to the United States.

Gabon and Niger are two West African countries with which the United States had announced the suspension of its cooperation. Both had experienced coups d'état. According to President Joe Biden, they had made no progress towards political pluralism and respect for the rule of law.

Washington claims that in the case of the CAR there have been flagrant violations of human rights and workers' rights.

While Uganda is accused of flagrant violations of international human rights. Last May, the Americans had directly condemned the adoption of legislation punishing homosexuality, and Washington had already warned that relations with Kampala should be reviewed.

The US administration stipulates that none of the four countries concerned has followed up on the multiple requests made in response to the concerns raised.

In a letter to the new Speaker of the House of Representatives, US President Joe Biden stipulates that these four African countries do not meet the conditions required to benefit from the device in question.