outh African President Cyril Ramaphosa said Tuesday his government is in talks with U.S. officials to reduce trade tariffs.
President Donald Trump imposed a 30% levy on South African imports in August, after repeated failed trade agreement attempts.
Speaking at the U.N. General Assembly, Ramaphosa warned that “trade is now being used as a weapon” by some nations.
He said geopolitical shocks and volatile trade policies are destabilizing the global economy and threatening development finance sources.
Ramaphosa emphasised that the tariffs risk harming South Africa, the continent’s most industrialized economy, and its international trade relationships.
South Africa counts the U.S. as its second-largest trading partner, making the tariffs a major blow to economic growth.
The president urged Congress to maintain the African Growth and Opportunity Act, a deal offering duty-free access for African nations.
Last year, AGOA failed to receive a vote in Congress, leaving its future uncertain amid Trump’s tariff-focused trade policies.
Ramaphosa told the Council on Foreign Relations in New York that he hopes U.S. tariffs will be significantly reduced soon.
He framed trade as a critical tool for development, warning that weaponizing it jeopardizes economic stability across the globe.