Obama pledges to extend AGOA

Visiting U.S. President Barack Obama on Saturday pledged to have the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) extended. Obama made the remarks in a televised press conference after South African President Jacob Zuma urged the United States to extend the AGOA which expires in 2015. "Our mutual trade has reached the levels preceding the global recession, largely due to the Act," Zuma said. Obama said he supported moves to improve and renew AGOA and would first have to convince the U.S. Congress to approve the extension of the Act. Earlier, Obama and Zuma held talks which covered a wide range of issues, including the AGOA, which is a preferential market access system given to specific countries in Africa and the Caribbean by the United States. Zuma said he and Obama reaffirmed their common commitment to strengthening democratic governance and advancing the protection of human rights on the continent. "You are visiting Africa at the right time. Africa is rising," Zuma said. "We are pleased to be working with you today with a common goal of expanding trade relations between our two countries. We are in essence shifting from disinvestment to re-investments in the era of freedom and democracy." Obama also pledged to boost trade with Africa and plans to renegotiate an African trade pact to improve it for American businesses. He said he welcomes competition from other nations who have been aggressive in pursuing commercial opportunities in Africa, including China. "Our only advice is make sure it's a good deal for Africa." Obama arrived in South Africa Friday evening on a three-day official visit, his second visit to South Africa and the first as the U.S. president. He came from Senegal and will continue to Tanzania after South Africa.