OPINION| After 25 years of AGOA, it’s time for South Africa to chart a new course

By Busiswe Mavuso

The expiry of the African Growth and Opportunity Act at the end of September marks a watershed moment in the US-South Africa relationship.

While Agoa had been effectively undermined by the Trump tariffs imposed earlier this year, it nevertheless provided a backstop for our trade relationship – a framework and a reason to work hard towards agreement on new trade terms.

The Trump administration indicated a desire to extend Agoa by one year shortly before its expiry, but Congress has been unable to act on that ambition due to the government shutdown.

There remains a possibility that an extension could be included in legislation required to end the shutdown, but even then, it is unclear whether South Africa would be included, given the broader issues that have arisen between our two countries.

Back in April, when new tariffs came into force and the US trade relationship was