APA-Johannesburg (South Africa) In a move that could have far-reaching implications for US and South African trade and political relations, the US Congress has requested Secretary of State Antony Blinken to consider withdrawing South Africa’s rights to host the next African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) summit.
In a letter to Blinken, Four senior members of the US Congress across party lines – including House Foreign Affairs Committee chair Mike McCaul and Democrat senator Chris Coons – said that South Africa may have violated US sanctions after Pretoria allegedly “deepened its military relationships with Russia over the past year”.
“South Africa’s government has formally taken a neutral stance on Russia’s unlawful invasion of Ukraine but has deepened its military relationship with Russia over the past year,” the lawmaker wrote.
They added: “In February, South Africa held joint military exercises with Russia and China, and in April authorised a Russian military cargo plane – also subject to US sanctions – to land at a South African air force base.”
They also expressed concern at the fact that South Africa would host the 2023 BRICS summit in August which Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to attend together with the leaders of Brazil, India and China.
South Africa has refused to arrest Putin who has an International Criminal Court warrant of arrest on his head for allegedly committing war crime in Ukraine which his country invaded in February 2022.
The lawmakers also called for an upcoming AGOA forum to be moved from South Africa.
“We are seriously concerned that hosting the 2023 AGOA Forum in South Africa would serve as an implicit endorsement of South Africa’s damaging support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” the lawmakers wrote.
They said actions by South Africa “call into question its eligibility for trade benefits under AGOA due to the statutory requirement that beneficiary countries ‘not engage in activities that undermine United States national security or foreign policy interests.'”
The AGOA summit is a critical forum for US and African leaders to discuss issues related to trade and economic development.
South Africa has been a crucial ally for the US in the region, and the summit is seen as an important opportunity to strengthen ties between the two nations.
However, if the US follows through on the request to withdraw South Africa’s hosting rights, it could be a significant blow to South Africa’s reputation and its relationship with the US.
Trade between the US and South Africa has been strong in recent years, with the US importing over US$6 billion worth of goods from South Africa in 2020.
Furthermore, the move by the US Congress is likely to strain political relations between the two countries, which have been historically strong.
The latest move by the US is likely to be perceived as an unwarranted attack on South Africa’s sovereignty, and could lead to a deterioration of relations between the two nations.
JN/APA