US Agency for International Development (USAID) assistant administrator Lloyd Pierson inaugurated a West Africa Trade Hub in Dakar, Senegal, on November 8, which aims to promote improvements in Africa’s trade capacity, boost international exports and help businesses take advantage of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) – a law that provides trade preferences to countries that are making progress in economic, legal and human rights reforms.

This latest opening brings the total of USAID-funded trade hubs to four, the others being located in Botswana, Kenya and Ghana. The trade hub in Dakar - the second in the West African region - will join forces with its neighbouring hub in Ghana to help West African economies increase their share of world trade.