Trump Administration to Drop South Africa and Rwanda From AGOA, Orders Talks on Robotics Imports
South Africa and Rwanda out of AGOA
President Trump will cut South Africa and Rwanda from the quarter-century-old African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) trade program at the end of the year. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said the two countries didn't meet certain eligibility criteria, including policies on trade barriers and alignment with U.S. foreign policy (AP).
Robotics and industrial machinery
In a proclamation published Nov. 2, Trump agreed with the Commerce Secretary's finding under Section 232 that imports of robotics, industrial machinery and their parts and components threaten national security. He ordered negotiations with trading partners and an update from Commerce and USTR within 180 days. The proclamation says he may later consider tariffs, quotas, fees or a program to encourage U.S. production, depending on how the talks go (Federal Register).
Sources
- AP: U.S. to drop South Africa and Rwanda from AGOA apnews.com
- Federal Register: Adjusting Imports of Robotics, Industrial Machinery, and Their Parts www.federalregister.gov
See our sourcing & corrections standards.
Spotted an error? Tell us — see our corrections policy.
