Trump and Ramaphosa Talk Trade Between South Africa and the U.S.

President Cyril Ramaphosa engaged in a phone discussion with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday, just one day prior to the commencement of Washington’s 30% tariffs on South African goods entering the US.

“Both leaders expressed their commitment to ongoing discussions, recognizing the various trade negotiations that are currently in progress in the US,” announced the presidency of South Africa on Thursday. “The respective trade negotiation teams will participate in more in-depth conversations moving forward.”

Read: JSE hits a new record on the day the tariffs are announced

The tariffs imposed by the US on South African imports mark the highest rates applied to exports from any sub-Saharan country, indicating a significant shift in the US’s trading relationships.

Explore all our reports on tariffs here.

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