Africa has been notable for its absence during the 2016 U.S. presidential election campaign.

Back in 2010, when Hillary Clinton was U.S. Secretary of State, she said “let’s help each other make Africa all it can be.”

That broadly reflects American policy towards the continent since the 1990s – boosting African economies but only under certain conditions. Donald Trump’s anti-free trade messages could spell a very different future relationship with Africa, should he be elected.

CCTV America’s Paul Barber takes a closer look at recent U.S. economic policy towards Africa and how it compares to China’s.

Along with around $8 billion dollars a year in American aid for Africa, the centerpiece of U.S. engagement with the continent has been the African Growth and Opportunity Act – or AGOA.

It was signed into law by former president Bill Clinton in 2000 and last year, the U.S. Congress reauthorized it until 2025.

The scheme allows duty-free entry into the U.S. for certain exports from eligible countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. The idea is to boost business on the continent by facilitating trade. Washington said African countries have exported nearly $480 billion worth of goods to the United States under AGOA.

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CCTV Africa’s Ramah Nyang talks about AGOA and African reaction to the US election

For more on how the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act, Agoa, is viewed on the continent plus how the current U.S. election is being perceived, CCTV America’s Paul Barber spoke to Ramah Nyang from Global Business Africa.