South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday in a high-stakes diplomatic engagement aimed at revitalising bilateral ties.
Ramaphosa arrived in Washington DC on Monday for a working visit, with his administration prioritising discussions on economic cooperation, trade relations and global diplomacy.
South African officials say Ramaphosa is “prepared for the moment” as Pretoria seeks to navigate recent trade tensions and geopolitical differences.
Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya described the visit as a crucial step in reconfiguring the US-South Africa relationship.
“We’re looking forward to a very successful meeting aimed at resetting the relationship between South Africa and the United States,” Magwenya said.
The meeting comes at a critical juncture as relations between Pretoria and Washington have been strained in recent months.
Latest tensions have arisen over racism allegations by the US against the South African government, as well as differing positions on key geopolitical matters.
In an executive order in February, Trump accused South Africa’s government of racial discrimination against Afrikaners – descendants of Dutch settlers – by pursuing anti-white policies through affirmative action laws and a new land expropriation law.
The Pretoria authorities, however, say those claims are based on misinformation and there is no racism against Afrikaners and no land has been expropriated.
The US has also expressed dissatisfaction with Pretoria’s approach to foreign policy, particularly its engagement with China and Russia.
Another key issue expected to come up during the discussions between Ramaphosa and Trump is the future of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a US trade preference program that provides duty-free access to the American market for qualifying sub-Saharan African exports.
AGOA has benefited South Africa’s industries, particularly agriculture and automotive manufacturing, but its continuity is uncertain under the Trump administration’s push for reciprocal tariffs.
In April, Trump announced steep tariff increases on imports, with South Africa facing a 31 percent tariff hike – effectively nullifying its AGOA privileges.
Pretoria remains keen on seeing AGOA extended but has also indicated readiness to negotiate a new trade framework should Washington decide to scrap the scheme.
The discussion is also expected to touch on broader diplomatic challenges, including South Africa’s role in the G20 and differing foreign policy stances.
Despite past tensions between Trump and some world leaders, Ramaphosa’s team remains confident in a constructive dialogue.
“The President is not apprehensive at all,” Magwenya assured reporters.
As the two leaders prepare for their White House meeting, observers will be watching closely to see whether the engagement leads to tangible policy shifts or simply reaffirms existing diplomatic positions.
JN/APA