"Africa: Why the US Suspended Ethiopia, Mali, Guinea From Free-Trade Deal", 6 November 2021

In response to human rights violations, the U.S. suspended Ethiopia, Mali and Guinea from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)...ending each nation's duty-free access to the American market.

...U.S. President Joe Biden said these nations were no longer in compliance with the eligibility requirements for the AGOA, and he cited various examples of their failure to defend internationally recognized human rights..

According to the president's statement, Mali has not established or made "continual progress toward establishing the protection of the rule of law, political pluralism, and internationally recognized worker rights." It also has not addressed "gross violations" of "internationally recognized human rights," Biden said.

In Guinea, the government failed to establish protections for the rule of law and political pluralism, the statement said.

The Biden administration also withdrew Ethiopia's benefits under the AGOA for "gross violations of internationally recognized human rights," the president said.

Ethiopia's suspension was the result of the ongoing civil war in the northern Tigray region that has spurred a serious human rights crisis. Since the conflict started a year ago, international concern has grown over human rights abuses including mass killings of citizens and widespread sexual violence...

These countries will continue to be denied access to AGOA benefits unless action is taken to regain eligibility status...