Muslim world ally in garment access to US

Cambodia’s efforts to win duty-free access to the United States market may have taken an unlikely step forward on the coattails of US moves to improve ties with the Muslim world.

In a meeting with her Bangladeshi counterpart Dipu Moni on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pledged to look at the possibility of a trade and investment framework to make it easier for US companies to invest in the democratic and secular Muslim-majority nation.

In response, Dipu Moni said she asked Clinton to work for duty-free and quota-free access for Bangladeshi goods to the US market.

While it is far too early to tell if Clinton’s words will ever translate into action, US President Barack Obama’s signature policy of repairing ties with the Islamic world can only nudge talks in the right direction.

And Cambodia stands to benefit if the US chooses the easiest way forward and passes legislation already before its Congress extending duty-free access to 14 least-developed countries, including Bangladesh and Cambodia.

Few give Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein’s Trade Act of 2009, which is currently before the US Senate’s finance committee, much hope of becoming law purely on trade-assistance grounds.

Critics say Cambodia, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka account for 99 percent of the total exports to the US from the 14 countries, meaning it will do little to improve the fortunes of those most in need of asssistance. Click to read more...