By Thapelo Molefe
Job creation, trade relations and economic growth will be the top priorities for DA leader and Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen during this week’s high stakes visit to the United States.
The delegation, led by President Cyril Ramaphosa, will engage with US President Donald Trump and senior American officials in Washington.
The visit comes amid growing tensions over Trump’s claims of violence against white farmers in the country and his administration welcoming Afrikaners as refugees.
“This is a historic and crucial visit,” Steenhuisen said in a statement on Monday.
“The highest issues on my priority list will be securing trade relations between the US and SA, particularly in agriculture, to protect jobs, grow the economy and expand employment opportunities.”
Steenhuisen emphasised the importance of maintaining and strengthening trade agreements such as the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which provided preferential access to US markets for eligible African countries.
“Losing these benefits would be disastrous for farmers, farm workers and the economy at large,” he warned.
The renewal of AGOA is under threat with SA-US relations being at an all-time low.
Steenhuisen acknowledged the challenges facing South Africa but called for a pragmatic and inclusive approach.
“This delegation to Washington DC represents all South Africans, who have entrusted us to put the shared national interests and desire for economic growth and job creation first, ahead of any party, or ideological positions,” he said.
The DA leader expressed optimism about the GNU’s ability to rekindle public faith in the political leadership.
“There is a renewed hope in South Africans, thanks to the formation of the GNU, and we dare not fail them on our mission to increase economic growth, and job opportunities for all South Africans… South Africa will work if South Africans can get work,” he concluded.
The Presidency has confirmed that Ramaphosa will meet Trump this week.
Earlier last week, Trump announced the meeting at a press conference after he was asked why his administration was offering expedited refugee status to Afrikaners while continuing to restrict admissions from war-torn countries like Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“Because they’re being killed, and we don’t want to see people be killed,” Trump said.
“It’s a terrible thing that’s taking place. And farmers are being killed. They happen to be white. But whether they’re white or black makes no difference to me… their land is being confiscated in South Africa,” Trump said, labeling the situation a “genocide”.
Ramaphosa has had a couple of calls with Trump in an attempt to set him right over the claims and defend South Africa’s anti-apartheid policies.
He will meet Trump at the White House in Washington DC to discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of interest.
The working visit was requested by Trump.
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