Ramaphosa hails ‘successful’ economic talks during US visit

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Cape Town – President Cyril Ramaphosa says South Africa and the United States have “everything to gain” from working together, following what he described as a successful working visit to Washington, DC, aimed at strengthening economic and diplomatic ties.

Ramaphosa, who was invited by US President Donald Trump, led a high-level delegation made up of representatives from government, business, labour and the sporting sector.

The visit was geared towards enhancing bilateral cooperation and tackling recent tensions in the US-South Africa relationship.

“Our countries and our economies are bound together in many ways,” Ramaphosa said in a weekly newsletter to the nation.

“We went to Washington to establish a basis for greater economic cooperation and to address some of the challenges that have recently arisen in relations between our two countries.”

Relations between the two nations have recently been tested by what Ramaphosa called “misinformation peddled by fringe groups,” including a widely discredited narrative alleging a campaign of violence against white farmers in South Africa.

“It was critical for us to engage directly with the US administration to correct misinformation and provide a true account of the progress we have made as a democracy,” he said.

Despite these challenges, economic ties remain strong. The US is South Africa’s second-largest trading partner and a major investor in key sectors, including energy, manufacturing and digital technology. According to the US Department of Commerce, more than 600 American companies operate in South Africa, employing around 148,000 locals.

Tech giant Microsoft recently announced a R5.4 billion investment to expand cloud and AI infrastructure in South Africa, signalling continued investor confidence. Additionally, close to 400,000 American tourists visited the country last year, underscoring its importance as a travel destination.

Ramaphosa and Trump reportedly agreed to create a new “economic cooperation channel” to discuss issues such as tariffs and broader trade matters. The two leaders also confirmed that the US would participate in the upcoming G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, where South Africa will hand over the presidency of the group to the United States.

“We were able to update US officials on the ongoing structural reform process underway to improve the ease of doing business and facilitate a favourable investment climate,” Ramaphosa said.

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The President emphasised that South Africa offers a robust legal and financial framework for international investment, citing the US State Department’s recent Investment Climate Statement. The document highlights South Africa’s deep capital markets, an independent judiciary and a mature financial services sector as key advantages.

Ramaphosa extended an invitation to Trump to send a government and business delegation to South Africa to further explore investment opportunities.

Quoting Nelson Mandela’s historic 1990 address to the US Congress, Ramaphosa reiterated that the partnership between the two nations should be one of mutual benefit rather than dependence.

“Our successful working visit to the US reaffirmed the importance of keeping the channels of dialogue open,” he said. “The willingness of the US to engage with South Africa on resetting our relationship is testament to the strength of the bilateral relationship.”

The visit comes as South Africa battles several domestic challenges, including persistent crime and unemployment, which Ramaphosa acknowledged must be addressed to foster a conducive investment environment.

“We need to work together as Government, business, labour and all of society to overcome our domestic challenges,” he added.

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