US to suspend South Africa and Rwanda from duty-free trade access

South Africa loses duty-free access under AGOA, impacting $1.7bn worth of exports, including cars and farm products.Published On 2 Nov 20262 Nov 2026The United States has said it will suspend South Africa and Rwanda from duty-free trade benefits under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), effective January 1, 2027.US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Monday that both countries had failed to meet AGOA’s eligibility criteria. South Africa has been the largest beneficiary of the programme, exporting about $1.7bn worth of goods to the US under AGOA in 2025.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Foreign national beaten to death by a mob in South Africalist 2 of 4Are global oil reserves sufficient to withstand renewed US-Iran war?list 3 of 4Zimbabwe’s platinum boom: Where is the wealth?list 4 of 4Russia-Africa Summit: What is on the agenda, and why does it matter?end of list“President Trump found that the governments of Rwanda and South Africa are engaging in practices that are inconsistent with AGOA’s eligibility criteria,” Greer said in a statement.There was no immediate response from either country.AGOA beneficiaries are expected to meet eligibility requirements...