South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Wednesday that the results of the United States midterm elections could mark the beginning of a new era in international relations, after millions of American voters delivered a strong rebuke to President Donald Trump.
Relations between South Africa and the United States are currently going through a period of significant strain. This week, the Trump administration moved to strip South Africa of duty-free access to the US market, following last year’s decision to cut financial assistance to Pretoria and expel the previous South African ambassador in Washington.
Trump has repeatedly targeted South Africa, primarily over what he characterises as the persecution of the white population — a narrative the South African government flatly rejects, describing it as false and driven by extremist groups.
“We saw that the Democrats took control of the Senate and the House of Representatives, and the American people have spoken. (…) I believe this will usher in a new era in international relations,” Ramaphosa told reporters after casting his ballot in South Africa’s local government elections, also held on Wednesday.
The South African head of state said Monday’s announcement suspending South Africa from the AGOA trade initiative, effective January, represents “a negative aspect for us”, and argued that the priority should be negotiating a bilateral trade agreement with the United States.
“While we are saddened by our removal from AGOA, our trade relations with the United States continue,” he added.
Ramaphosa said South Africa has been working to secure new export markets, stressing that trade diversification “has now become the order of the day”.
Source: Diário Económico
Original article: https://www.diarioeconomico.co.mz/?p=558475
