COMPETITIVENESS OF THE COMES A COUNTRIES WITHOUT TRADE QUOTAS (EXCERPTS FROM THE RECENT REPORT OF USAID)

摘要

The performance of the three COMESA LDCs taking advantage of the AGOA provisions is quite remarkable. To emerge with a foothold in the U.S. apparel market — one of the most competitive - is quite remarkable, especially when one considers the starring point a little more than three years ago was a largely non existent industry. In fact, it is quite amazing that the Sub-Saharan African costs are competitive with many countries with a much longer history in apparel production. The road was eased by the fact that quota limitations on more competitive suppliers provided opportunities for new suppliers and by AGOA preferences. However, one should not forget that there are dozens of other smaller countries trying to penetrate the U.S. market without success with advantages over Sub-Saharan Africa - proximity, infrastructure, familiarity with U.S. business, etc. The challenge is that the growth that took place was limited to those products that will see sifnificant competition in the post-MFA world. Most of the exports from Sub-Sahara African countries are in such categories as trousers and knit shirts. These items are nearly all of a standard type and are lowprice, low-to-medium quality apparel. However, these are the very products that may be subject to an export surge as the effect of the MFA quota termination works its way through the industry.