World News
Trump notifies Congress of plan to drop Rwanda, South Africa from AGOA
The change would take effect January 1, 2027, with the US citing trade barriers, security, and human rights or corruption concerns.
The short version
- President Donald Trump has notified Congress of plans to remove Rwanda and South Africa from AGOA, effective January 1, 2027.[Al Jazeera · BBC News]
- The US Trade Representative said an annual review found both countries engaged in practices inconsistent with eligibility rules.[Al Jazeera · BBC News]
- Washington cites trade barriers, national security, and foreign policy interests, plus human rights concerns for Rwanda and corruption for South Africa.[BBC News]
- South Africa, the program's largest beneficiary, says it remains open to dialogue and was prepared for a negative outcome.[Al Jazeera]
Key facts
- Trump notified Congress of plans to remove South Africa and Rwanda from AGOA starting January 1, 2027.[Al Jazeera · BBC News]
- US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said an annual review found both countries engaged in practices inconsistent with the programme's eligibility requirements.[Al Jazeera · BBC News]
- The Trump administration cited barriers to US trade and investment, national security, and foreign policy interests for both countries.[BBC News]
- Washington raised concerns about human rights, political pluralism, the rule of law, and workers' rights in Rwanda.[BBC News]
- For South Africa, the US additionally pointed to corruption.[BBC News]
- South Africa exported about $1.7bn worth of goods to the US under AGOA in 2025, making it the programme's largest beneficiary.[Al Jazeera]
- Rwanda had also been suspended from the programme in 2018.[Al Jazeera]
- US Ambassador to South Africa Leo Brent Bozell III said the outcome resulted from South Africa's government rejecting US concerns.[BBC News]
What remains uncertain
- The change is described as a notified intention, so reporting does not confirm the final effective date or whether negotiation could alter it.[Al Jazeera · BBC News]
- The ambassador's attribution of the outcome to South Africa's rejection of US concerns is a US government characterization that reporting does not independently verify.[BBC News]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.