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From Fox News: Key Republicans are already pressing the incoming Trump administration to kick South Africa out of lucrative trade arrangements, should the South African government not change its position on Russia, China, Iran and Israel.
Most at risk is South Africa’s duty-free exports to the U.S. of items such as cars and citrus fruit under AGOA – the African Growth and Opportunity Act, and with it the potential loss of tens of thousands of African jobs. South Africa is likely to be under intense scrutiny from the incoming administration.
A publication from the Center for African Studies at Howard University, in 2023, warned that a country wanting AGOA’s preferential trade agreements “cannot act in a manner that undermines U.S. national security or foreign policy interests”.
South Africa joins Russia’s military aircraft and naval vessels on exercises, allowing Pretoria’s naval bases to be used by the Kremlin and Russia’s sanctioned warships. Senior South African military officials have received training in Moscow. At the U.N., South Africa has refused to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Fox News quotes leading Republican, Sen. Jim Risch of Idaho, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, as saying, “I remain concerned about South Africa’s efforts to cozy up to Russia, China and Iran, including Iran’s terror proxies, and the impact this has on U.S. national security – a vital element in AGOA eligibility. The country’s foreign policy actions will remain a focus of my oversight efforts.”
After Trump won the presidential election, prominent one X user wrote, “Donald Trump don’t stand with countries who sponsor & support terrorist organisation like Hamas , Hezbollah & Iran 🚮 Sorry Cyril 😭 No AGOA extension for South Africa as long as you going to push your communist /Muslim demonic agendas 👹 NO MONEY!”
Donald Trump don’t stand with countries who sponsor & support terrorist organisation like Hamas , Hezbollah & Iran 🚮 Sorry Cyril 😭
No AGOA extension for South Africa as long as you going to push your communist /Muslim demonic agendas 👹 NO MONEY! pic.twitter.com/0Ml8E1Bo6L— judge and jury (@JUDGEJUSTIN777) November 6, 2024
Meanwhile, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa congratulated Trump on his election victory last month. He wrote:
I had an opportunity this afternoon to personally extend South Africa’s well wishes and congratulations to President-Elect
@realDonaldTrump
on his election as the 47th President of the United States of America.During our telephone call, we both agreed on the need to strengthen our trade and political ties. We also look forward to hosting President-Elect Trump during the #G20 Heads of State Summit next year.
I had an opportunity this afternoon to personally extend South Africa’s well wishes and congratulations to President-Elect @realDonaldTrump on his election as the 47th President of the United States of America.
During our telephone call, we both agreed on the need to strengthen… pic.twitter.com/i4Akoa2KFF
— Cyril Ramaphosa 🇿🇦 (@CyrilRamaphosa) November 8, 2024
Incoming Trump admin, Congress showdown looms with South Africa over support for Russia, US foes https://t.co/8cYQqeMMi2
— Fox News (@FoxNews) December 26, 2024
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