BREAKING | Donald Trump deals SA a devastating trade blow

0 The United States Trade Representative said Washington would exclude South Africa and Rwanda from a major Africa-US duty-free trade deal. Image: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP Home » Business & Finance » BREAKING | Donald Trump deals SA a devastating trade blow

The United States Trade Representative said Washington would exclude South Africa and Rwanda from a major Africa-US duty-free trade deal.

0 The United States Trade Representative said Washington would exclude South Africa and Rwanda from a major Africa-US duty-free trade deal. Image: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said on Monday ​that Washington intends to suspend South ‌Africa and Rwanda from duty-free access to the US market under the African Growth and Opportunity ​Act (AGOA).

“President Trump found that the governments of ​Rwanda and South Africa are engaging ⁠in practices that are inconsistent with AGOA’s ​eligibility criteria.

“These concerning and pervasive practices include, but are not limited to, barriers that undermine American trade and investment and practices that pose a threat to US national security and foreign policy interests in the region,” said Jamieson Greer in a statement.

AGOA gives ​eligible African countries duty-free access to the US market for thousands of products. South Africa has benefited ​from it for years.

President Donald Trump’s administration ​has cracked ​down on ⁠South Africa for what Trump claims is its persecution of white ​people. South Africa’s government says this ​is ⁠a falsehood spread by fringe groups.

Washington highlighted trade barriers, rule of law and human ⁠rights ​as among issues it is ​deeply concerned about in Rwanda.

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