U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer expressed openness on Tuesday to treating South Africa differently than other African nations under a potential extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a trade initiative with sub-Saharan Africa that expired last September.
Speaking at a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing, Greer indicated that while the Trump administration is considering a one-year extension of AGOA, South Africa may require special consideration. “If you think that we should give South Africa different treatment, I’m open to that because I think they are a unique problem,” Greer said when asked about separating South Africa from any AGOA extension.
Greer emphasized that South Africa would need to reduce tariffs on U.S. products and remove non-tariff barriers if it hoped for the U.S. to lower the 30% duties it currently imposes on South African goods.
Relations between Washington and Pretoria have grown tense in recent months. The U.S. recently boycotted a summit of G20 leaders hosted by South Africa and announced that South Africa would not be invited to the next G20 meeting in Miami. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and former President Donald Trump have criticized South Africa for alleged discrimination against white citizens—a claim widely discredited internationally.
Greer highlighted that South Africa, as the continent’s most developed economy, has significant industrial and agricultural capacity but has maintained trade barriers against American goods. “They’re a big economy, right? They have an industrial base. They have an agricultural base; they should be buying things from the United States,” he said.
The trade tensions date back to August, when the Trump administration imposed a 30% tariff on imports from South Africa after U.S. officials reportedly did not respond to several trade proposals from Pretoria. Greer reiterated that the administration supports a one-year extension of AGOA but intends to use that period to collaborate with Congress to strengthen the program and ensure fair trade practices.
Ultimately, the discussions highlight both challenges and opportunities in U.S.-South Africa trade relations. As policymakers navigate complex economic and diplomatic considerations, the goal remains to foster mutual growth while addressing trade imbalances.
