The Trump administration will cut South Africa and Rwanda from the AGOA trade program

JOHANNESBURG (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump will cut South Africa and Rwanda from a quarter-century-old Africa trade agreement at the end of the year as punishment for not meeting certain criteria, including policies on trade barriers and alignment with U.S. foreign policy, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said Monday.

In South Africa’s case, it’s another sanction of Africa’s biggest economy by the Trump administration. Last week, the U.S. excluded South Africa from a meeting of foreign ministers from the Group of 20 countries in Atlanta.

The trade deal under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA, was introduced by U.S. President Bill Clinton in 2000 to give some African nations duty-free access to the American market for some of their goods.

Countries have to meet requirements to be members, like establishing a market-based economy, the rule of law, political pluralism and the right to due process while also eliminating barriers to U.S. trade and investment. Countries’ memberships are reviewed each year. More than 30 African nations are currently members of AGOA and view access to the U.S. market for their exports as a crucial economic boost.

The Office of U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in a statement that Trump had informed Congress and the governments of South Africa and Rwanda that they would be removed from AGOA from Jan. 1 next year.

Greer said that the two countries were removed because of policies that “include, but are not limited to, barriers that undermine American trade and investment and practices that pose a threat to U.S. national security and foreign policy interests in the region.”

The statement did not give any specific examples of trade barriers or security and foreign policy issues.

U.S.-South Africa relations have plummeted during Trump’s second term, with his administration accusing South Africa’s Black-led government of being anti-white over some of its domestic affirmative action policies, and anti-American for its criticism of Israel and diplomatic ties with Iran.

The U.S. last week sanctioned Rwanda’s defense ministry over its support of the M23 rebel group fighting government forces in mineral-rich eastern Congo.

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Imray reported from Cape Town, South Africa.

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AP Africa news: https://apnews.com/hub/africa