Sierra Leone has preferential access to markets in the European Union, the United States as well as in other countries.

The European Union offers full preferential access through the Everything But Arms (EBA) initiative. The EBA, which has been in force since March 2001, extends duty-free and quota-free access to imports of all products other than arms originating from Sierra Leone. The Cotonou Agreement also promotes partnership between European Union states and African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States.

Access to the U.S. market is governed by the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which offers duty-free access for a number of products until 2015. There is considerable potential to increase trade under AGOA. For example, Sierra Leone’s exports to the United States under AGOA totaled $105,000 in 2006 -just 0.3 percent of the country’s total exports. By contrast, 94 percent of Lesotho’s exports and 24 percent of Ghana’s were governed by AGOA. For a complete list of products eligible for exports to the United States and more information on AGOA, visit www.agoa.info

Finally, Sierra Leone joined the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the interests of establishing a customs union and common market to promote the free movement of goods and people in West Africa. ECOWAS’ mission is to promote economic integration in all fields of economic activity, particularly industry, transport, telecommunications, energy, agriculture, natural resources, commerce, monetary and financial questions, social and cultural matters.

For more information, contact us at exportdevelopment@sliepa.org.