South Africa and Rwanda lose U.S. duty-free trade benefits
The U.S. trade representative said Trump found the countries’ practices inconsistent with AGOA eligibility criteria, citing trade and investment barriers.
South Africa and Rwanda no longer receive duty-free entry to the American market through the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The decision follows lobbying by Pretoria to keep the benefits.
U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer said in a statement that President Donald Trump had found the two governments’ practices inconsistent with the program’s eligibility criteria. Greer cited barriers to American trade and investment, describing those practices as a threat to U.S. national security.
Rwanda’s role in the conflict in neighboring Congo has strained its relationship with Washington. South Africa had anticipated an unfavorable decision on eligibility as its own ties with the United States worsened after Trump’s return to the presidency in 2025.
