Ethiopia has said it is “extremely disappointed" over the US move to withdraw a deal for duty-free exports to the US.

“We are extremely disappointed by the threat of Agoa [African Growth and Opportunities Act] withdrawal currently under consideration by the US government,” the Ethiopian ministry of trade said on Tuesday.

The US plans to suspend the duty-free rights under the trade pact for Ethiopia, Mali and Guinea over human rights and democracy concerns.

On Tuesday, President Joe Biden in a letter to the US Congress cited Ethiopia as being in “gross violations of internationally recognised human rights”.

Mali and Guinea are being suspended over the coups that have taken place in recent months.

But on Tuesday, the Ethiopian trade ministry said the decision must be reversed by 1 January next year.

“We urge the United States to support our ongoing efforts to restore peace and the rule of law – not punish our people for confronting an insurgent force,” the ministry said.

"The Ethiopian government takes all human rights allegations seriously: we are looking at them and conducting investigations and we are committed to ensuring accountability," it added.