... The United States is preparing a major overhaul of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), signalling a shift away from a purely development-focused trade arrangement towards a more reciprocal model that could place South Africa under increased pressure to open its markets to American goods. The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) last month formally requested public ...

... should have been scrapped when Donald Trump applied the 30% reciprocal tariffs (later 15%) last year. Meanwhile, United States bone-in chicken meat exports to South Africa have been on a decline since March 2020 after the increase in the MFN tariff to 62%. The legal pursuit comes as a bit of mystery, since the AGOA agreement expires at the close ...

... US President Donald Trump formally extended the programme until December 31, after the preferential trade agreement expired on September 30, 2025. The proclamation, issued on May 19, follows the earlier enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, which was signed into law on February 3, 2026, after congressional passage earlier in the year. South Africa remains an AGOA-eligible country for ...

... are the biggest winners. Kenya's cut-flower industry, Ethiopia's leather goods, and South Africa's auto components are already seeing order books swell. "This is not charity," Trump told reporters. "It's smart business. African nations deliver quality, and American consumers get great products at fair prices." For African exporters, the relief is palpable. The previous uncertainty around AGOA's expiry had frozen investments ...

... brief lapse in the programme late last year, which had caused uncertainty for African exports, including those of South Africa, that depend on US market access. Gabon has also been reinstated as a beneficiary of AGOA after making sufficient progress on governance and eligibility, reversing its 2023 removal. A cornerstone of US-Africa trade relations for 25 years, AGOA has allowed ...

... economic performance of sub-Saharan Africa. Below are the four key observations. Agoa's benefits can't be measured in just one metric. They reflect in various terms for various countries. But available research indicates that the countries that benefited most from Agoa include South Africa, Kenya, Lesotho, Mauritius, Madagascar, Ethiopia and Ghana. These nations have used Agoa preferences to substantially increase their ...

... In early 2025, the US administration announced sweeping tariff policies that posed a threat to, among others, South Africa's automotive industry, which, despite the AGOA extension, still felt the effects. Initially, a general 10% tariff for all trading partners, along with a 25% sector-based tariff on automotive vehicles and parts imports, was implemented in April 2025. Following this, US President ...

... Israel at the International Court of Justice. The fallout has moved beyond diplomacy into concrete measures, including suspended US aid, a refugee programme prioritising Afrikaners, and the expulsion of South Africa's ambassador, Ebrahim Rasool. Washington has reviewed South Africa's African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) trade benefits [extended until December 31, 2026] and criticised its G20 role. Pretoria has responded ...

... While South Africa scored a reprieve with the extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) at the start of the year, conversations are already starting about the programme ending again. Should the programme end or South Africa lose eligibility, billions of rands in trade with the US are at risk, with the country losing its competitive edge to ...

... are, importantly, areas where the relationship remains not only intact but strong. Trade and investment continue to be a central pillar. The United States is one of South Africa's largest trading partners, and programs like the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) have provided preferential access that supports South African exports and jobs. American companies maintain a significant presence in ...

... European Union, United States, MERCOSUR and the Gulf Cooperation Council. According to Tau, exports to the US increased from R238 billion in 2024 to R260bn in 2025, despite continued uncertainty surrounding the future of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa). On industrial policy, Tau confirmed that government was reviewing the Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP2) to attract new ...

... broader economic shocks likely to hit developing economies hardest. Despite this, government officials say South Africa remains committed to diplomatic engagement with the United States, particularly on trade matters linked to the African Growth and Opportunity Act. Officials argue that South Africa's continued inclusion in AGOA demonstrates that engagement with Washington "has yielded results to some extent". At the centre ...

... -Welcome to our world- the real world of Farming and Agriculture in South Africa- Local and International news- (Farmingportal.-162,000 hits per minute) The South African Poultry Association (SAPA) has launched legal action against the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition to scrap the 72,000-tonne annual US poultry import quota under AGOA.SAPA argues that local producers cannot compete with US bone-in ...

... the point raised by the association moot. We are in consultation with the US and are working on a resolution of this particular point," Alli said. Izaak Breitenbach, general manager of Sapa's Broiler Organisation, told Freight News that in terms of the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) agreement signed in 2015, there was a clause that stated, should South Africa ...

... should have been scrapped when Donald Trump applied the 30% reciprocal tariffs (later 15%) last year. Meanwhile, United States bone-in chicken meat exports to South Africa have been on a decline since March 2020 after the increase in the MFN tariff to 62%. The legal pursuit comes as a bit of mystery, since the AGOA agreement expires at the close ...

... The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za. Solidarity welcomes the White House's announcement regarding the extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and calls on the South African government to appreciate this meaningful gesture of friendship from the United States. ...

... US President Donald Trump formally extended the programme until December 31, after the preferential trade agreement expired on September 30, 2025. The proclamation, issued on May 19, follows the earlier enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, which was signed into law on February 3, 2026, after congressional passage earlier in the year. South Africa remains an AGOA-eligible country for ...

... are the biggest winners. Kenya's cut-flower industry, Ethiopia's leather goods, and South Africa's auto components are already seeing order books swell. "This is not charity," Trump told reporters. "It's smart business. African nations deliver quality, and American consumers get great products at fair prices." For African exporters, the relief is palpable. The previous uncertainty around AGOA's expiry had frozen investments ...

... The United States' decision to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) trade programme through to the end of 2026 has brought relief to South African exporters and businesses after months of uncertainty over the future of the preferential trade arrangement. In a proclamation issued by US President Donald Trump, the White House confirmed that duty-free treatment under Agoa ...

... brief lapse in the programme late last year, which had caused uncertainty for African exports, including those of South Africa, that depend on US market access. Gabon has also been reinstated as a beneficiary of AGOA after making sufficient progress on governance and eligibility, reversing its 2023 removal. A cornerstone of US-Africa trade relations for 25 years, AGOA has allowed ...