Two weeks ago, I wrote about growing prosperity on the African continent. I noted that African economies are, by and large, rapidly growing. As such, indicators of human well-being, including infant mortality, life expectancy and nutrition, have been improving. Regrettably, there has been no substantial improvement in the quality of Africa’s institutions. The quality of the rule of law and levels of corruption are strikingly similar to what they were in 2000. Similarly, political and civil freedoms, and freedom of the press, have not noticeably improved. Most of Africa’s remaining developmental challenges are caused by domestic factors that require domestic solutions. But, there are a few areas, where US action could benefit both Africans and Americans. Below I look at free trade, agricultural subsidies, aid and smart sanctions.

Free Trade

The United States can help Africa by further opening its markets to African exports. The US Congress took a step in the right direction, by adopting the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act in 2000. In 2015, AGOA was extended until 2025. Today, 39 African countries remain eligible to export to the United States under the terms of AGOA. In 2013, about 91 percent of US imports from AGOA countries entered the United States duty-free.

Combined two-way trade between the United States and AGOA countries doubled between 2001 and 2014, with a peak recorded in 2008 and valued at almost $100 billion. The global financial crisis and declining US reliance on foreign oil have reduced the total amount of trade between the United States and AGOA countries to roughly $50 billion per year, with Africa’s trade surplus amounting to some $2 billion.

The benefits of free trade are political as well as economic. First, free trade can be a potent weapon against terror directed against the United States. Apparel trade with the United States alone has created tens of thousands of jobs in the AGOA countries. By providing opportunities, such increased economic connections between the world’s trouble spots and the United States may help deter potential terrorist sympathizers.

Second, trade increases specialization. Increased specialization leads to increasing productivity. Reductions in the cost of production lead to cheaper goods and services, which, in turn, increase the standard of living for Americans and Africans alike.

Unfortunately, Washington limits the economic benefits of AGOA in two specific ways. First, some quotas predate AGOA and were not amended by AGOA legislation. Second, AGOA excludes some agricultural products from duty free access, including sugar, tobacco, dairy, beef and processed agricultural goods such as dried garlic, canned peaches and apricot.

While opening US markets to African goods can help the continent, such a move is not sufficient to bring it out of poverty. Tariffs seen in Africa are among the highest in the world. According to the World Bank, the average applied tariff on imports to African countries is over 10 percent. In contrast, the average tariff applied by emerging economies like Chile, Vietnam, and Taiwan is less than 6 percent. In order to prosper, African countries will have to cut their own external and internal trade barriers, and continue with wide-ranging economic reforms that will enable Africa’s private sector to grow.

Agricultural Subsidies

In addition to making AGOA comprehensive and unconditional, the US government should stop subsidizing the American agricultural sector. The 2014 Farm Bill is expected to cost the US taxpayer $956 billion between 2014 and 2023. If history is anything to go by, the cost of farm subsidies will rise. The 2002 Farm Bill, for example, cost 30 percent more than the exp