The United States will throw out Rwanda and South Africa from the African Growth and Opportunity Act, effective from New Year 2017.
The United States Trade Representative, Ambassador Jamieson Greer has just issued a statement to that effect, according to the dispatch sent on the second day of November 2026.
Ambassador Greer explained that the decision to terminate Rwanda and South Africa from AGOA trade arrangement was taken following President Donald Trump notifying Congress and the governments of Kigali and Pretoria of this intent.
Apparently, the Trump administration plans to terminate these two countries from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) trade preference program, as of January 1, 2027.
“The Office of the United States Trade Representative led the annual interagency review of sub-Saharan African countries’ eligibility for the AGOA trade preference program.”
“Based on the review, President Donald Trump found that the governments of Rwanda and South Africa are engaging in practices that are inconsistent with AGOA’s eligibility criteria,” said Ambassador Greer.
“These concerning and pervasive practices include, but are not limited to, barriers that undermine American trade and investment and practices that pose a threat to the United States national security and the US foreign policy interests in the region.”
“The Trump Administration is working to ensure our African partners take the necessary steps to meet the eligibility criteria.”
In Rwanda, the Trump Administration is deeply concerned by a number of issues, including trade and investment barriers, rule of law (or lack of it), political pluralism, internationally recognized worker rights, human rights, and threats to U.S. national security and foreign policy interests.
For the South Africa case, the Trump Administration seems to be deeply concerned by barriers to U.S. trade and investment, corruption, and threats to the United States national security and foreign policy interests.
Enacted at the turn of the New Millennium in 2000, the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) trade preference program, is a non‑reciprocal U.S. trade preference arrangement designed to expand economic relations with sub‑Saharan Africa.
Extended until 2028, AGOA offers duty‑free access for thousands of products and aims to promote economic growth, good governance, and market‑oriented reforms.
AGOA provides eligible sub-Saharan African countries with duty-free access to the U.S. market for over 1,800 products, in addition to the more than 5,000 products that are eligible for duty-free access under the Generalized System of Preferences program.
To meet AGOA’s rigorous eligibility requirements, countries must establish or make continual progress toward establishing a market-based economy, the rule of law, political pluralism, and the right to due process.
Additionally, countries must eliminate barriers to U.S. trade and investment, enact policies to reduce poverty, combat corruption, and protect human rights.
By providing new market opportunities, AGOA has helped bolster economic growth, promoted economic and political reform, and improved U.S. economic relations in the region.
