The United States Senate has voted to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) — a 25-year-old trade framework that grants duty-free access to the US market for over 1,800 products from 32 sub-Saharan African nations — until December 2028. The extension was passed ahead of the programme's expiry at the end of September and is seen as a significant relief for African exporters of goods such as clothing, cars, and other manufactured items. Senator Raphael Warnock, who helped secure the vote, said the measure would reduce the cost of everyday goods while bolstering US national security by supporting the economic stability of partner nations; the legislation also extends two related trade programmes benefiting Haiti.