WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 01st November, 2019) President Donald Trump expelled Cameroon from a US program that provides trade preferences to African nations, citing human rights abuses by government security forces, a letter released by the White House said on Thursday.
"I am providing notice of my intent to terminate the designation of the Republic of Cameroon as a beneficiary sub-Saharan African country under the African Growth and Opportunity Act. I am taking this step because I have determined that the Government of Cameroon currently engages in gross violations of internationally recognized human rights," Trump wrote in the letter to US lawmakers.
Trump said the rights violations being committed by Cameroon's security forces include extrajudicial killings, torture and unlawful detention.
Cameroon's trade preferences under the US African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) will end on January 1, 2020, Trump added.
