South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has cautioned world leaders that trade is increasingly being used as a “weapon,” destabilising the global economy and threatening vital development finance. Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Ramaphosa highlighted how shifting trade policies and geopolitical tensions are undermining growth prospects for developing nations.
The warning comes as South Africa negotiates with the United States to reduce tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. In August, Washington levied a 30% tariff on South African imports, a move Ramaphosa said his government is actively working to reverse. Addressing the Council on Foreign Relations, he confirmed talks with US trade representatives to ease the burden, stressing that the punitive measures undermine fair trade relations.
Ramaphosa also called for the continuation of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which grants duty-free and quota-free access for thousands of African products to the US market. South Africa, the continent’s most industrialised economy, benefits the most from the agreement. But with Trump’s return to the White House and his protectionist stance, the future of AGOA remains uncertain after Congress failed to vote on its renewal last year.
The South African leader warned that without equitable trade frameworks, the economic recovery and development trajectory of African nations could be severely jeopardised.