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Politics

South African president to meet Trump in Washington amid bilateral tensions

11:34

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday to discuss a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues. This meeting comes amid growing tensions between the two nations, largely driven by Trump’s accusations of alleged persecution against Afrikaners—descendants of European settlers in South Africa—and the genocide complaint South Africa filed against Israel at the International Court of Justice.

The South African presidency released a statement confirming the meeting but did not provide further details. One key topic expected to be addressed is the status of Afrikaners who have been granted entry into the United States. Trump has described their situation as a “genocide,” a claim that lacks supporting evidence. Ramaphosa emphasized that the first group of 49 Afrikaners arriving in the U.S. does not meet the refugee criteria.

During Ramaphosa’s working visit, scheduled from Monday to Thursday, trade discussions are also anticipated. Pretoria is particularly concerned about American tariffs, which threaten preferential trade agreements like the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). This agreement, allowing South Africa to export various products duty-free, is set to expire in September. The Trump administration’s recent automotive tariffs have already challenged AGOA, affecting seven car manufacturers in South Africa that export around 25,000 vehicles annually to the U.S. without taxes.

The South African citrus industry could also face difficulties if AGOA ends.

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