US terminates duty-free trade access to Ethiopia over conflict

Ethiopia’s duty-free export access to the U.S. has been revoked by President Joe Biden due to its failure to meet the requirements, according to the White House. The action comes after 13 months of civil war in the country.

Ethiopia is disqualified from participation in the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act due to gross violations of human rights, the U.S. Trade Representative said when it notified Ethiopia in November. It said the ruling could be reversed if the Ethiopian government addressed those issues by Jan. 1, when the suspension takes effect.

Mali and Guinea also didn’t meet the requirements to benefit from the preferential-trade agreement following coups in the two countries this year.