Four African countries, including Uganda, to be excluded from the Agoa trade deal by the United States.

US President Joe Biden has announced plans to remove Uganda, Gabon, Niger, and the Central African Republic from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), a special trade program between the US and Africa. According to President Biden, these countries have either violated human rights or failed to make progress towards democratic governance. Agoa, introduced in 2000, grants eligible sub-Saharan African nations duty-free access to the US for over 1,800 products. President Biden specified that Niger and Gabon's military rule disqualifies them from Agoa due to their failure to establish political pluralism and the rule of law. Furthermore, Uganda and the Central African Republic have been expelled from the program due to their governments' gross violations of human rights. The expulsion is expected to impact the economies of these nations, as Agoa has played a significant role in promoting exports, economic growth, and job creation. The four countries are yet to respond to the decision. The US government has taken previous actions against Gabon and Niger, including suspending most foreign aid and pausing certain assistance programs, respectively. Burkina Faso, Mali, and Guinea have previously been expelled from Agoa following military coups in their respective countries.