Washington has cited concerns over Pretoria’s handling of corruption and Kigali’s human rights record as grounds for their exclusion from AGOA
The US plans to strip South Africa and Rwanda of preferential access to its market next year, accusing both countries of undermining American trade and foreign policy interests.
Pretoria has pushed back, saying it would accelerate efforts to diversify export markets by pursuing opportunities elsewhere in Africa, India, the European Union, and China to protect jobs.
President Donald Trump has notified Congress and both governments of his intention to terminate their participation in the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) from January 1, 2027, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer announced on Monday. Greer said an annual review identified “barriers that undermine American trade and investment and practices that pose a threat to US national security and foreign policy interests in the region.”
Washington cited corruption and trade barriers in South Africa, while its concerns about Rwanda also included human rights, workers’ rights, political pluralism, and the rule of law.
READ MORE: South Africa braces for loss of US trade benefits
South Africa’s Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) said it had offered additional concessions to address US concerns during negotiations that began in 2025. It accused Washington of raising “new issues that have not been the basis for discussions.”
Established in 2000, AGOA grants eligible sub-Saharan African countries duty-free access for thousands of products. Trump signed an extension through December 2028 in September, but individual countries remain subject to eligibility reviews.
South Africa exported about $1.7 billion in goods under AGOA in 2025, accounting for roughly 10% of its exports to the US and 1% of its worldwide exports, according to the DTIC. The department stressed that it would accelerate efforts to diversify markets. President Cyril Ramaphosa warned last month that exclusion could have a “devastating” impact on jobs, particularly in vehicle manufacturing and agriculture.
Read more US shuts, China opens: Where did the trade war move?US-South African relations have deteriorated since Trump returned to office in January 2025, with Washington halting aid and expelling Pretoria’s ambassador. Trump accused South Africa of permitting “white genocide,” which it rejects, while US lawmakers targeted its Russia and Iran ties and genocide case against Israel. Richard Neal, the senior Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, called the removal “yet another trade decision grounded in grievance” and demanded clarity on reinstatement.
Trump previously suspended Rwanda’s apparel benefits in 2018 over tariffs on imported secondhand clothing and footwear, following complaints from the American used-clothing industry.
There was no immediate response from Rwanda’s authorities to the latest move, which follows US sanctions on its Defense Ministry on October 28 over alleged support for rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kigali denies backing the fighters.
Washington has repeatedly withdrawn AGOA benefits over governance and human rights concerns. Ethiopia, Guinea, and Mali lost eligibility in 2022, followed by Burkina Faso in 2023. The Central African Republic, Gabon, Niger, and Uganda were removed in January 2024. Gabon was reinstated under a proclamation issued in May 2026.
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