South Africa will host a US-Africa trade summit in November despite an earlier call by US lawmakers for the event to be moved over what they said was the country's deepening military relationship with Russia.
Johannesburg will host the US-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Co-operation Forum from November 2 to 4, US and South African officials said in a joint statement on Wednesday.
The meeting will discuss the future of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), Washington's flagship trade programme for the continent, which grants tariff-free access to the US market and is due to expire on September 30, 2025.
“As President Biden has said, the future is Africa,” US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said in the statement. Tai said she looked forward to visiting South Africa to “discuss opportunities to make AGOA more transformative”.
In the wake of Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, US and European officials have attempted to rally opposition to Moscow's actions among African governments. Most African states, however, have shied away from taking sides.
Despite Pretoria's declared neutrality, perceived close ties between Russia and South Africa, an important US trading partner in Africa, have ruffled feathers in Washington.
In a June letter, leading members of the US House of Representatives and the US Senate asked the Biden administration to choose another location for the US-Africa trade meeting.
Pointing to South Africa's joint naval operations with China and Russia in February, and plans to host Russian President Vladimir Putin at a Brics bloc summit, they also suggested South Africa's trade benefits under AGOA could be revoked.
The lawmakers appeared to back up an explosive accusation by the US ambassador to South Africa that a Russian vessel under sanctions collected weapons at a South African naval base last year.
In the end, Putin, who is wanted under an International Criminal Court warrant on charges of war crimes in Ukraine, did not travel to the September Brics summit. And a South African investigation into the purported arms delivery stated the accusation was unfounded.
In Wednesday's statement, Ebrahim Patel, South Africa's trade minister, attempted to turn the page on the incident, calling for AGOA to be extended.
“An extension of AGOA beyond 2025 will promote inward investment in Africa and provide benefits to both the US and African countries,” he said.
Reuters
SA to host US-Africa trade summit despite Russia spat
Image: Supplied
South Africa will host a US-Africa trade summit in November despite an earlier call by US lawmakers for the event to be moved over what they said was the country's deepening military relationship with Russia.
Johannesburg will host the US-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Co-operation Forum from November 2 to 4, US and South African officials said in a joint statement on Wednesday.
The meeting will discuss the future of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), Washington's flagship trade programme for the continent, which grants tariff-free access to the US market and is due to expire on September 30, 2025.
“As President Biden has said, the future is Africa,” US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said in the statement. Tai said she looked forward to visiting South Africa to “discuss opportunities to make AGOA more transformative”.
In the wake of Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, US and European officials have attempted to rally opposition to Moscow's actions among African governments. Most African states, however, have shied away from taking sides.
Despite Pretoria's declared neutrality, perceived close ties between Russia and South Africa, an important US trading partner in Africa, have ruffled feathers in Washington.
In a June letter, leading members of the US House of Representatives and the US Senate asked the Biden administration to choose another location for the US-Africa trade meeting.
Pointing to South Africa's joint naval operations with China and Russia in February, and plans to host Russian President Vladimir Putin at a Brics bloc summit, they also suggested South Africa's trade benefits under AGOA could be revoked.
The lawmakers appeared to back up an explosive accusation by the US ambassador to South Africa that a Russian vessel under sanctions collected weapons at a South African naval base last year.
In the end, Putin, who is wanted under an International Criminal Court warrant on charges of war crimes in Ukraine, did not travel to the September Brics summit. And a South African investigation into the purported arms delivery stated the accusation was unfounded.
In Wednesday's statement, Ebrahim Patel, South Africa's trade minister, attempted to turn the page on the incident, calling for AGOA to be extended.
“An extension of AGOA beyond 2025 will promote inward investment in Africa and provide benefits to both the US and African countries,” he said.
Reuters
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