US President Donald Trump has notified Congress of plans to remove Rwanda and South Africa from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), a preferential trade programme that allows eligible African countries to export thousands of products to the United States duty-free. The proposed termination would take effect on 1 January 2027.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said an annual review found that both countries were engaging in practices inconsistent with Agoa’s eligibility requirements. The administration said it had also informed the two governments of its decision.
Washington cited barriers to US trade and investment, along with concerns about national security and US foreign policy interests in the region. In Rwanda’s case, it also raised issues involving human rights, political pluralism, the rule of law and workers’ rights. The United States additionally cited corruption in relation to South Africa.
The announcement came less than a week after the US Treasury imposed sanctions on Rwanda’s defence ministry over its alleged role in the armed rebellion in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The Treasury said the ministry had directed thousands of troops to fight alongside M23 rebels and had provided weapons, equipment, logistical support and training.
Greer said the Trump administration wanted its African partners to take the necessary steps to meet Agoa’s eligibility criteria. The proposed removal comes amid strained relations between Washington and both countries and could threaten their access to preferential trading arrangements with the US.
US Ambassador to South Africa Leo Brent Bozell III said it was regrettable that South African policies had led to the country’s proposed termination from Agoa. In a post on X, he described the decision as a predictable and preventable result of the South African government’s rejection of concerns raised by the United States.
Sources: BBC News World.