South Africa to host US-Africa trade forum

By Hassan Isilow

South Africa will host the 20th US-sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum in Johannesburg in November, regardless of earlier calls by some US politicians to have the meeting moved to another country.

The announcement was made in a joint statement late Wednesday by US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and South Africa’s Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel.

The forum will bring together governments of the US and countries eligible for the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), among other participants, who will discuss ways to strengthen trade and investment ties between the US and Africa.

AGOA is a special US legislation that grants market access to the US for qualifying sub-Saharan African countries that work to improve their rule of law, human rights, respect core labor standards and eliminate barriers to US trade and investment among others.

“As President (Joe) Biden has said, the future is Africa. I look forward to visiting South Africa in November to discuss our shared priorities, reaffirm the Administration’s commitment to the continent, and discuss opportunities to make AGOA more transformative as we deepen our trade and investment relations with the sub-Saharan African countries.” Tai said.

Earlier this year, top US lawmakers had asked Biden to look for another venue to have the summit away from South Africa, which was viewed to have strong military relations with Russia.

South Africa held a joint naval exercise with Russia and China off its east coast earlier this year despite criticism.

Relations between the US and its largest trading partner on the African continent were a bit frosty, but with the joint announcement to host AGOA relations look to have been mended.

In May, US Ambassador to South Africa Reuben Brigety said the US was convinced that South Africa had supplied arms to the Russian army despite the country claiming to be neutral.

However, this month, an independent inquiry probing the allegations found no supporting evidence, that South Africa had supplied arms to Russia.