TRUMP MOVES TO KICK SOUTH AFRICA, RWANDA OUT OF AGOA TRADE PROGRAMME
WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump has moved to terminate South Africa and Rwanda from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), threatening their preferential access to the American market from January 1, 2027.
US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer announced the development on Monday, November 2, saying Trump had notified Congress and the governments of the two African countries of his intention to terminate their eligibility under the trade preference programme.
The move follows an annual interagency review of sub-Saharan African countries participating in AGOA, which provides eligible nations with preferential access to the US market through duty-free treatment for thousands of products.
In a statement, Greer said the review found that the governments of South Africa and Rwanda were engaging in practices inconsistent with AGOA’s eligibility requirements.
“These concerning and pervasive practices include, but are not limited to, barriers that undermine American trade and investment and practices that pose a threat to U.S. national security and foreign policy interests in the region,” Greer said.
He added that the Trump administration was working to ensure African partners took the necessary steps to meet the programme’s eligibility criteria.
Washington outlined separate concerns regarding the two countries.
In South Africa’s case, the Trump administration cited barriers to US trade and investment, corruption and what it described as threats to American national security and foreign policy interests.
For Rwanda, the concerns extend to trade and investment barriers, the rule of law, political pluralism, internationally recognised workers’ rights, human rights and threats to US national security and foreign policy interests.
The announcement adds to deteriorating relations between Washington and Pretoria, with the Trump administration repeatedly criticising South Africa’s domestic policies and foreign relations.
The United States has also taken issue with Pretoria’s foreign policy, particularly its legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice, alongside disagreements over other domestic and diplomatic matters.
South Africa, however, had been preparing for an unfavourable outcome. Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau said last week that his government remained committed to negotiations with Washington but was ready for any decision.
AGOA, introduced in 2000 under former US President Bill Clinton, is a cornerstone of American trade engagement with sub-Saharan Africa. It provides qualifying African countries with duty-free access to the US market for more than 1,800 products.
The programme was reauthorised by Trump in February 2026, but only until December 31, 2026, following its expiry in September 2025.
South Africa has been the programme’s largest beneficiary, exporting approximately US$1.7 billion worth of goods to the United States under AGOA in 2025. Its key exports include vehicle components, citrus products and wine, while Rwanda exports coffee and minerals.
The proposed termination would remove the two countries’ AGOA trade preferences from January 1, 2027, potentially exposing qualifying exports to normal US import tariffs.