South Africa and Rwanda are set to lose access to the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) from 1 January 2027 after U.S. President Donald Trump notified Congress that both countries no longer meet the programme’s eligibility requirements.
Washington pointed to trade and investment barriers, as well as national security and foreign policy concerns. It also cited corruption concerns in South Africa and issues involving human rights, political pluralism and workers’ rights in Rwanda. The decision follows increasingly strained ties between the United States and both governments. Rwanda is also under U.S. sanctions over alleged support for M23 rebels operating in eastern DR Congo.
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South Africa’s Trade Minister Parks Tau called the decision unfortunate, saying the United States had introduced concerns that were not part of ongoing trade negotiations. He said Pretoria would continue expanding its export markets to help safeguard jobs
