South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa (pictured) said on Thursday that United States President Donald Trump's tariffs are "a barrier to trade," but reaffirmed his country's commitment to a working trade relationship with Washington.
"Whilst South Africa remains committed to a mutually beneficial trade relationship with the United States, unilaterally imposed and punitive tariffs are a concern and serve as a barrier to trade and shared prosperity," Ramaphosa said. "The tariffs affirm the urgency to negotiate a new bilateral and mutually beneficial trade agreement with the US as an essential step to secure long-term trade certainty," he added.
Since the start of Trump's second term, the two countries have had a rocky relationship, with the US president signing an executive order to freeze aid to South Africa, culminating in the US expelling of South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool last month.
