US to suspend South Africa and Rwanda from duty-free trade access
The move ends duty-free access for thousands of products and follows an annual review that found trade, rule-of-law and security concerns.
- On Monday, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer announced Washington intends to suspend South Africa and Rwanda from duty-free access under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, effective January 1, 2027.
- President Donald Trump found that the governments of Rwanda and South Africa are engaging in practices that are "inconsistent with AGOA's eligibility criteria," Greer said, citing trade barriers and human rights concerns.
- South Africa exported about $1.7 billion in goods under the program in 2025, though these exports represent only about 10% of its total US trade and 1% of its global exports.
- Prepared for a negative outcome, South Africa's trade ministry remains open to dialogue while President Cyril Ramaphosa pursues new trade deals with partners such as China.
- Administration officials flagged South Africa's International Court of Justice case against Israel as a foreign policy concern, while the government characterizes claims of white persecution as "a falsehood spread by fringe groups.
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‘It doesn’t spell doom’ — experts weigh in after Trump boots SA from Agoa
South Africa will, from next year, be removed from the duty-free benefits of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), the US government announced. This was after the SA government had “constructively responded” to US concerns.
Trump will cut South Africa and Rwanda from trade program
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump will cut South Africa and Rwanda from a quarter-century-old Africa trade agreement at the end of the year as punishment for not meeting certain criteria, including policies on trade barriers and alignment with U.S. foreign policy, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said Monday. In South Africa’s […]
(Seoul = Yonhap News) Reporter Kim A-ram = The United States has decided to exclude South Africa and Rwanda from its duty-free trade preference program for African countries...
The White House Trade Representative (USTR), Jamieson Greer, announced on Monday in a press release Washington's intention to exclude South Africa and Rwanda from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), considering that both countries do not respect the terms of the Act. ...
The White House Trade Representative (USTR), Jamieson Greer, announced Monday, November 2, in a press release Washington's intention to exclude South Africa and Rwanda from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), considering that both countries do not respect the terms of the Act.
Washington has announced that it intends to remove South Africa and Rwanda from the AGOA program, which allows African countries to export goods to the United States without paying tariffs. The decision is based on the belief that the two countries are not complying with the terms of the agreement. AGOA is a trade agreement that allows many African products to enter the United States market without imposing tariffs. The announcement was made by …
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