US excludes South Africa and Rwanda from AGOA
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on O País
The United States has announced the exclusion of South Africa and Rwanda from AGOA, the programme granting preferential access to the US market for certain African products. The measure is due to take effect on 1 January and Washington cites practices contrary to the programme’s criteria, according to O País citing African News.
The United States has announced the exclusion of South Africa and Rwanda from AGOA, the programme granting some sub-Saharan African countries preferential access to the US market. The measure is due to take effect on 1 January 2027, according to African News, which cited US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
Jamieson Greer justified the decision by citing practices deemed incompatible with AGOA eligibility criteria, including barriers affecting US trade and investment as well as measures Washington considers a threat to its national security and foreign policy interests. South Africa, the programme’s biggest African beneficiary, had already been at the centre of diplomatic tensions with Washington. South African Trade Minister Parks Tau had defended maintaining preferential access, while President Cyril Ramaphosa had asked the country to prepare for an unfavourable outcome.
Rwanda’s exclusion comes as the United States accuses Kigali of supporting the M23, a rebel movement active in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Washington imposed sanctions on Rwanda’s defence ministry last week over alleged links to the group, which the Rwandan government rejects. AGOA, extended until the end of 2028, provides for periodic assessments of participating countries’ eligibility.
The announcement came after Washington confirmed on 2 November South Africa’s exit from AGOA in 2027, followed by South Africa’s withdrawal from the AGOA programme, published on 3 November. Pretoria had announced on 28 October that it wanted to diversify its exports amid uncertainty surrounding the scheme.
