South Africa will welcome delegates from the US and sub-Saharan Africa for a trade and economic forum in November, despite some US lawmakers calling for a change of venue over South Africa’s ties with Russia. The US-sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum, also known as the AGOA Forum, will take place in Johannesburg from November 2 to 4, according to a joint statement by US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and South African Trade Minister Ebrahim Patel on Wednesday.
The forum will discuss the future of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a US trade programme that grants tariff-free access to the US market for more than 1,800 products from eligible African countries. AGOA is due to expire on September 30, 2025. “As President Biden has said, the future is Africa,” Tai said in the statement. She added that she looked forward to visiting South Africa to “discuss opportunities to make AGOA more transformative”.
AGOA has been the cornerstone of US-Africa trade relations since 2000, but it has been underutilized by many African countries. According to the Brookings Institution, only 14 out of 36 eligible countries exported more than $10 million worth of goods under AGOA in 2020.
The forum will also explore ways to enhance regional integration and value chains in Africa, as well as to address challenges such as climate change, digital transformation, and women’s economic empowerment. The announcement of the forum comes amid strained relations between the US and South Africa over the latter’s perceived closeness to Russia, which recently invaded Ukraine and faced international condemnation.
In June, some US lawmakers urged the Biden administration to relocate the forum and reconsider South Africa’s AGOA benefits, citing its joint naval exercises with China and Russia in February and its plans to host Russian President Vladimir Putin at a BRICS summit in September.
They also accused South Africa of allowing a Russian vessel under sanctions to collect weapons at a naval base last year, a claim that was denied by South Africa after an investigation. However, Putin did not attend the BRICS summit, and South Africa has called on Russia to withdraw its forces from Ukraine, while expressing hope for a peaceful resolution.
Patel, the South African trade minister, said in the statement that he hoped AGOA would be extended beyond 2025, as it would promote investment and mutual benefits for both the US and African countries. He also said that South Africa was committed to working with the US and other partners to advance peace and security in Africa and the world.
Source [Reuters]
