ISDS Case Map
South Africa
China will not seek reciprocity in its latest trade agreement with South Africa, its ambassador said, as Beijing prepares to roll out an expanded zero-tariff policy for African nations from May 1.
South Africa said on Friday that its trade minister had signed a framework economic partnership agreement on a visit to China, which it described as a step towards securing duty-free access to the Chinese market for South African exports.
The EFF has called on the South African government to reject the recent extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), warning that the programme primarily serves US geopolitical and economic interests rather than advancing African development.
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is set to be extended by a further three years.The committee, which described the trade initiative as “the cornerstone of economic relations between the US and Sub-Saharan African nations", did not mention any exclusion of South Africa in its statement.
South Africa is committed to ensuring that it is included in any extension of U.S. trade initiative the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a trade ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday.
This bill, titled the AGOA Extension and Bilateral Engagement Act, was tabled at the end of September and aims to extend the AGOA for two additional years. However, nestled within the legislation is a stipulation that explicitly excludes South Africa from participating in this crucial economic programme.
South Africa's trade minister said on Sunday that he expected negotiations with the U.S. over a trade deal would continue, despite differences between the two countries over this weekend's Group of 20 summit in Johannesburg.
Prime Minister Mark Carney heads to Johannesburg for the G20 summit, Canada and South Africa are talking about a deal to boost bilateral trade and investment that could see more South African wine on Canadian shelves in exchange for gas exports.
The EU and South Africa signed the first-ever Clean Trade and Investment Partnership (CTIP), building on the EU-South Africa Strategic Partnership and the Economic Partnership Agreement.
Returned from his Southeast Asian trip, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Monday that amid global economic uncertainty, South Africa must diversify its trade and investment relations.
