Trump’s tariffs have technically nullified AGOA: Lamola

International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola says the US President Donald Trump has nullified AGOA benefits by imposing tariffs against South Africa and other countries.

He says the meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and Trump tomorrow will among other issues discuss trade between South Africa and the US.

Lamola says Pretoria will engage Washington in an effort to normalise relations between the two countries.

Speaking to SABC News in Washington where he’s accompanying President Ramaphosa, Lamola says he hopes the meeting of the two leaders will yield positive results.

” The tariffs have technically nullified AGOA. So there is a need for an engagement on economic package or trade relations and that is what is ongoing as we speak which will also obviously culminate into tomorrow’s meeting in terms what then becomes future trade relations between the two countries must continue to be mutually beneficial spanning all those sectors; agriculture, the automotive sector and other important sectors of our economy.”