A US congressman has warned that President Donald Trump’s decision to remove South Africa from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) could weaken America’s influence in Africa and create opportunities for China to expand its economic footprint across the continent.
Jonathan Jackson, a Democratic representative from Illinois, urged the Trump administration to reconsider the move, arguing that it undermines decades of economic cooperation between the US and one of Africa’s largest economies.
“President Trump’s decision to remove South Africa from AGOA is a deeply troubling step backward in America’s relationship with the African continent,” Jackson said in a statement.
He warned that the decision risked alienating a key economic partner and handing strategic advantages to rival powers, particularly China.
Trump recently notified Congress of his intention to terminate South Africa’s AGOA beneficiary status from January 2027 following an annual review of sub-Saharan African countries eligible for the trade programme. The administration also moved to remove Rwanda from the scheme.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the two countries were found to be engaging in practices inconsistent with AGOA requirements, including barriers to US trade and investment and actions deemed contrary to US national security and foreign policy interests.
AGOA grants qualifying African countries duty-free access to the US market for thousands of products and has long been regarded as a cornerstone of Washington’s economic engagement with the continent.
Jackson argued that ejecting South Africa from the programme would not strengthen US interests but instead erode Washington’s influence in Africa at a time of growing competition for economic and political partnerships.
He called for renewed dialogue with Pretoria and urged Congress to ensure trade and foreign policy decisions align with America’s long-term strategic interests.
JN/APA