Washington open to ‘different treatment’ for South Africa

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has labeled Pretoria a “unique problem” amid mounting diplomatic tensions

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has said he is open to treating South Africa “differently” from other African states under any new version of Washington’s flagship trade program with the continent.

Testifying before a Senate appropriations subcommittee on Tuesday, Greer said the Trump administration supports a one-year extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which expired in September, but described South Africa as “a unique problem.”  

“I’m happy to consider that… If you think that we should give South Africa different treatment, I’m open to that because I think they are a unique problem,” he said, responding to a question from Senator Kennedy, who argued that South Africa “is clearly not America’s friend” and suggested it should be treated separately under AGOA.

AGOA, first enacted in 2000, grants qualifying sub-Saharan African countries duty-free access to the US market for most exports. South Africa has been the largest beneficiary of the initiative, particularly in automotive and agricultural trade with Washington. After China, the US is South Africa’s second-largest bilateral trading partner.

Since 2023, US lawmakers have pushed to strip Pretoria of its AGOA benefits, citing South Africa’s reluctance to align with Washington on key foreign policy issues, including taking a harder line against Russia over the Ukraine conflict.

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Relations between Washington and Pretoria have further deteriorated since President Donald Trump took office in January. The US boycotted a recent G20 summit hosted by South Africa and has said it will not be invited to next year’s summit in Miami.

Trump and senior officials in his administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have accused the country of permitting genocide against its white citizens – allegations Pretoria has dismissed as false.

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Washington has also imposed a 30% tariff on South African imports, far higher than the rate applied to most other African countries, a measure Greer defended as a response to Pretoria’s trade barriers. He said Africa’s most industrialized economy needs to roll back tariff and non-tariff restrictions on US goods if it wants lower duties from the Trump administration.

Pretoria has meanwhile sought to ease tensions with Washington. On Wednesday, a South African Trade Ministry spokesperson told Reuters that the country will continue lobbying for full inclusion in AGOA.