Cape Town – United States (US) Ambassador to South Africa Leo Brent Bozell III has blamed Pretoria’s policies for the country’s impending exclusion from a major US-Africa trade agreement, describing the decision as a “predictable and preventable” outcome.
Bozell said South Africa’s removal from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) followed the government’s rejection of concerns repeatedly raised by Washington.
“It is regrettable that South African policies led to the termination of AGOA for South Africa. This was a predictable and preventable outcome resulting from the rejection by South Africa’s government of real concerns raised by the US Government,” he said.
His remarks followed an announcement by US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Monday that President Donald Trump intended to terminate South Africa and Rwanda’s participation in AGOA from 1 January 2027.
According to the US Trade Representative, the decision followed an annual review which found that the two countries were engaging in practices inconsistent with the programme’s eligibility requirements.
Washington cited barriers to American trade and investment, as well as concerns involving US national security and foreign policy interests.
It is regrettable that South African policies led to the termination of AGOA for South Africa. This was a predictable and preventable outcome resulting from the rejection by South Africa’s government of real concerns raised by the U.S. Government. I remain hopeful that we can find a path forward to address our larger bilateral concerns, but the South African government must understand the gravity of the situation. We know that if America succeeds, so too will South Africa. This is the partnership I will continue to pursue as expeditiously as possible.
https://t.co/ldYyq3ww4m— U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa (@USAmbRSA) November 2, 2026
Bozell said he remained hopeful that the two countries could resolve their differences but warned Pretoria against underestimating the consequences of the deteriorating relationship.
“I remain hopeful that we can find a path forward to address our larger bilateral concerns, but the South African government must understand the gravity of the situation,” he said.
“We know that if America succeeds, so too will South Africa. This is the partnership I will continue to pursue as expeditiously as possible.”
South Africa is AGOA’s largest beneficiary, with the programme providing eligible sub-Saharan African countries preferential, duty-free access to the US market for thousands of products.
The impending exclusion is expected to affect exporters, including those in the automotive, agricultural and manufacturing sectors.
According to Reuters, South Africa exported approximately $1.7 billion worth of goods to the US under AGOA in 2025.
Diplomatic tensions
The dispute comes amid increasingly strained diplomatic relations between Pretoria and Washington, with disagreements over South Africa’s race-based economic policies, land reform and its international relations.
Bozell has also criticised South Africa’s ownership requirements for foreign companies, arguing that they are discouraging American investment, particularly in mining and telecommunications.
He further accused President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration of moving closer to countries considered adversaries of the US, including China, Russia and Iran.
The ambassador previously warned that billions of dollars in potential American investment and thousands of jobs were at risk if South Africa failed to address Washington’s concerns.
Diplomatic tensions have also escalated following repeated exchanges between Bozell and South African officials, with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation previously issuing a diplomatic démarche against the ambassador over what it described as undiplomatic conduct.
South Africa has rejected several of Washington’s allegations, while maintaining that it remains committed to constructive diplomatic and economic relations with the US.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
