US lawmakers have decided against a proposed evaluation of South Africa’s ties with Washington, citing concerns related to national security.
On Monday, President Joe Biden signed a revised version of a major annual defense-policy bill, which did not include a prior amendment suggested by the US House of Representatives in June that requested this evaluation.
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Read: Agoa extension ‘a good basis’ for stronger SA-US relations – Tau
In February, two congressmen introduced a bipartisan bill in the House, which critiqued various foreign-policy actions taken by South Africa, including its case submitted to the United Nations’ International Court of Justice claiming genocide by Israel.
This bill further fueled existing criticisms from US lawmakers regarding Pretoria’s hesitance to back Western positions on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, along with its increasing affiliations with the Brics economic alliance.
South Africa maintains that, despite differences in some geopolitical issues, the connections between the two nations are strong. The US ranks as South Africa’s primary trading partner following China.
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This past weekend, the US reaffirmed that South Africa will maintain its preferential access to the world’s largest economy for thousands of products in 2025.
For the newly established South African coalition government, sustaining a favorable trade relationship is crucial as it aims to revitalize an economy that has experienced minimal growth over the last decade.
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Following its annual review of countries eligible for duty-free access under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, Washington has opted to leave the list of eligible and ineligible nations unchanged for the upcoming year, according to a statement from the Office of the US Trade Representative.
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