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

Proclamation 9687 of December 22, 2017 To Take Certain Actions Under the African Growth and Opportunity Act and for Other Purposes A Proclamation 1. In Proclamation 9223 of December 23, 2014, President Obama determined that the Republic of The Gambia (“The Gambia”) was not making continual progress in meeting the requirements described in section 506A(a)(1) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended (the “Trade Act”) ( 19 U.S.C. 2466a(a) ), as added by section 111(a) of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (the “AGOA”). Thus, pursuant to section 506A(a)(3) of the Trade Act ( 19 U.S.C. 2466a(a)(3) ), President Obama terminated the designation of The Gambia as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country for purposes of section 506A of the Trade Act. 2. In Proclamation 9145 of June 26, 2014, President Obama determined that the Kingdom of Swaziland was not making continual progress in meeting the requirements described in section 506A(a)(1) of the Trade Act. Thus, pursuant to section 506A(a)(3) of the Trade Act, President Obama terminated the designation of the Kingdom of Swaziland as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country for purposes of section 506A of the Trade Act. 3. Section 506A(a)(1) of the Trade Act 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 Trade Act ( 19 U.S.C. 2462 ). 4. Pursuant to section 506A(a)(1) of the Trade Act, based on actions that The Gambia and the Kingdom of Swaziland have taken, I have determined that The Gambia and the Kingdom of Swaziland meet the eligibility requirements set forth in section 104 of the AGOA and section 502 of the Trade Act, and I have decided to designate The Gambia and the Kingdom of Swazila…