To Take Certain Actions Under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, and for Other Purposes

Proclamation 8618 of December 21, 2010 To Take Certain Actions Under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, and for Other Purposes A Proclamation 1. Section 506A(a)(1) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (the “1974 Act”) ( 19 U.S.C. 2466a(a)(1) ), as added by section 111(a) of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (title I of Public Law 106-200 ) (AGOA), authorizes the President to designate a country listed in section 107 of the AGOA ( 19 U.S.C. 3706 ) as a “beneficiary sub-Saharan African country” if the President determines that the country meets the eligibility requirements set forth in section 104 of the AGOA ( 19 U.S.C. 3703 ), as well as the eligibility criteria set forth in section 502 of the 1974 Act ( 19 U.S.C. 2462 ). 2. Section 104 of the AGOA authorizes the President to designate a country listed in section 107 of the AGOA as an “eligible sub-Saharan African country” if the President determines that the country meets certain eligibility requirements. 3. In Proclamation 7657 of March 28, 2003, the President designated the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as an eligible sub-Saharan African country pursuant to section 104 of the AGOA. 4. Proclamation 7657 also authorized the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to exercise the authority provided to the President under section 506A(a)(1) of the 1974 Act to designate the DRC as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country. 5. Pursuant to the authority delegated to the USTR, on October 31, 2003, the USTR designated the DRC as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country (68 FR 62158-04). 6. Section 506A(a)(3) of the 1974 Act ( 19 U.S.C. 2466a(a)(3) ) authorizes the President to terminate the designation of a country as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country for purposes of section 506A if he determines that the country is not making continual progress in meeting the requirements described in section 506A(a)(1) of the 1974 Act. 7. Pursuant to section 506A(a)(3) of the…