*A Big Data Analytics Architecture Framework for the Production and International Trade… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.107225*

The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a non-reciprocal trade preference program, was established by the US Congress in 2000 to assist developing SSA nations in improving their economies through increased exports to the US. Notably, the "third-country fabric clause" in AGOA permits US clothing imports from specific SSA nations to qualify for duty-free treatment even if the clothing products use yarns and fabrics manufactured by non-AGOA members, such as China, South Korea, and Taiwan. Furthermore, AGOA trade preferences offer much bigger duty savings for manmade-fiber products, which are subject to higher U.S. tariffs, even though SSA nations generate largely cotton-based textile and garment inputs due to a plentiful availability of local cotton. Cotton yarn, cotton knit fabric, denim fabric, and to a lesser extent cotton woven shirting fabric appear to have the most potential for competitive production in SSA countries, either for direct export to or use in downstream apparel production for export to the United States, the EU, and similar markets. However, because the manmade-fiber textile and apparel sectors are underdeveloped in most SSA countries, it is not possible to produce these products. All of these products may be competitive in some local and regional markets because numerous SSA industry sources reported producing textile and garment inputs for both regional consumption and export beyond the region.
