U.S. President Donald Trump has notified Congress of his intention to remove South Africa and Rwanda from the African Growth and Opportunity Act, a program that lets eligible sub-Saharan countries ship thousands of products to the United States duty-free, with the change set for Jan. 1, 2027^1,2,3.

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said an annual interagency review found both governments engaging in practices inconsistent with AGOA eligibility rules, and that Washington had also notified the two countries^1,3. The administration cited barriers that it said undermine American trade and investment, as well as practices it said threaten U.S. national security and foreign-policy interests in the region^1,2,3.

AGOA, first enacted in 2000, is reviewed each year². Africanews reported the program has been renewed through the end of 2028 and that any removal requires 60 days' notice to Congress and the country concerned². South Africa is the program's largest beneficiary, according to Africanews and IOL, with auto, textile, farm and manufacturing exports among the goods that have entered the U.S. market duty-free^2,3.

For Rwanda, the BBC said Washington also raised human rights, political pluralism, the rule of law and workers' rights¹. The notice comes days after the U.S. Treasury sanctioned Rwanda's defense ministry, alleging it directed troops and supplied weapons, equipment, logistics and training to M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo^1,2. Kigali denies backing the rebels².

For South Africa, the BBC said the United States additionally pointed to corruption¹. Relations have been strained since Trump returned to office in January 2025, with disputes over Pretoria's domestic policies and foreign-policy choices, including its case against Israel at the International Court of Justice^1,3. Trump has accused South Africa of a campaign against white Afrikaners, a claim Pretoria rejects^1,2,3.

Greer said the administration wants African partners to meet the eligibility criteria^1,3. U.S. Ambassador to South Africa Leo Brent Bozell III said on X that the outcome was regrettable and, in his view, followed Pretoria's rejection of U.S. concerns¹.

Last week, South African Trade Minister Parks Tau said Pretoria hoped Washington would keep the country in the program and that the economy would remain stable as it looks to other markets². President Cyril Ramaphosa had earlier said the country should prepare for an adverse decision². IOL reported bilateral trade of $28.8 billion in 2025 and more than 600 U.S. companies employing over 130,000 people in South Africa; those figures were not independently confirmed in the other accounts reviewed³.

Whether Congress or further talks alter the planned Jan. 1, 2027, termination was not reported in the accounts reviewed^1,2,3.