Trump administration removes South Africa and Rwanda from US trade program
World · 3 November 2026
Written by AI from multiple news reports
The Trump administration has removed South Africa and Rwanda from a major trade programme, effective January 2027. The programme, called AGOA, gives African countries the right to sell goods to the US without paying extra taxes. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer made the announcement on November 2, 2026.
The administration said both countries had created trade barriers and acted against US foreign policy interests. Rwanda also faced concerns about human rights and workers' rights. The previous week, the US Treasury had sanctioned Rwanda's defence ministry over its alleged role in armed conflict in eastern Congo.
South Africa sold more than $1.7 billion in goods to the US under AGOA in 2025. Relations between Washington and Pretoria had already been difficult for some time.