President Trump has notified Congress and the governments of Rwanda and South Africa of his intent to terminate both countries from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) trade preference programme as of January 1, 2027, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in a statement on Monday. Greer said the annual interagency eligibility review found that both governments are engaging in practices inconsistent with AGOA’s eligibility criteria, including barriers that undermine American trade and investment and practices that Greer said pose a threat to US national security and foreign policy interests in the region. For Rwanda, the statement lists concerns on trade and investment barriers, rule of law, political pluralism, internationally recognised worker rights and human rights; for South Africa, it lists barriers to US trade and investment, corruption, and threats to US national security and foreign policy interests.
Trump intends to end AGOA preferences for Rwanda and South Africa
President Trump has notified Congress and the governments of Rwanda and South Africa of his intent to terminate both countries from the AGOA trade preference programme as of January 1, 2027, the US Trade Representative said on Monday.
Why it matters: Termination would remove duty free access to the US market for two of the programme's larger beneficiaries at the start of 2027, and South Africa's exporters have been warning since October that the preference was at risk.
Data as of Office of the United States Trade Representative statement of November 2, 2026, read in full in this run. Every figure and quotation is from that statement, the primary document. Developing item.
Sources
- Ambassador Greer Issues Statement on President Trump's Intent to Terminate Rwanda and South Africa from the AGOA Trade Preference Program - Office of the United States Trade Representative - 2026-11-02