At the 20th African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) Forum, Zingiswa Losi, President of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), stated that Agoa had generated 450 000 jobs in South Africa since its inception in 2000, making the union supportive of its extension beyond September 2025. This marks the first time that labour unions have been involved in the discussions at the Agoa Forum, emphasizing the importance of protecting existing jobs and creating new ones. Losi stressed the need for South Africa to address structural constraints like electricity shortages and poor logistics to fully benefit from Agoa and reduce the country’s high unemployment rate of 42%. The extension of Agoa is seen as beneficial not only for South Africa but also for neighbouring countries in creating employment opportunities.
