“We urge Congress to pass this measure, not only because it keeps the government funded past Friday’s deadline but also because it includes a crucial 5-year renewal of the Haiti HOPE/HELP programme, which allows duty-free access for certain apparel and textile products from Haiti to the US market. This renewal is urgently needed to help combat the crisis that continues to unfold in our island neighbour by anchoring much needed textile and apparel jobs, which in turn support US jobs, in the region at a crucial time,” said AAFA president and chief executive officer Steve Lamar in a statement.
AAFA recently praised the inclusion of the renewal of the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement programme and the Haiti Economic Lift Programme in the ‘Continuing Resolution’, a stopgap measure to keep the US government funded for the next three months.
It was, however, disappointed that the measure doesn’t include renewals of the AGOA and the GSP.
These trade preference programmes are set to expire on September 25, 2025. Lamar feels abandoning the Haiti HOPE-HELP programmes next year would imperil a much-needed driver of the country’s economy.
“At the same time, we are deeply disappointed that this measure doesn’t include the much-needed long-term renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and the long overdue retroactive renewal Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), which has now been expired for nearly four years. Congress must prioritise passage of these vital programmes to support a return to a predictable and investment-based trade policy,” he added.
AAFA continues to advocate for a 16-year AGOA renewal and retroactive renewal of GSP.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)
