Davies concerned about the extension of US tariffs on automobiles and auto parts

that South African steel exports to the United States accounted for less than 1% of total US imports and 0.3% of total US demand. Although this represented a small fraction of US imports, South African steel exports to the United States accounted for 5% of South African production, or 7,500 jobs in the US value chain. steel

total imports of aluminum in the United States. South Africa has supplied aluminum sheets, coils and plates for the automotive, battery and aerospace industries in the United States. In light of this, "it is clear that the AS does not pose a threat to US national security and the steel and aluminum industries, but a strategic source of energy. primary and secondary steel.

Earlier, the United States decided to impose duties under section 232 on steel and aluminum imports, including Africa. of the South, based on national security objectives. automotive components. In this regard, he indicated that South Africa accounted for 0.4% of total US imports of automotive products. In addition, one of the South African automakers would export more cars to the United States, which would drastically reduce South African exports to the United States, he said. said.

Davies said that from South Africa, the benefits of African Growth and Opportunity Law (Agoa) for South Africa would be significantly eroded, taking into account the fact that Article 232 tariffs effectively suspended Agoa preferences. for cooperation between the United States and the continent. The main objective of the African continent is to change the structure of our economies and there is a potential for practical cooperation between South Africa and the United States to promote trade and business relations. Investment, "said Davies Minister Lindiwe Zulu was in Washington DC to attend the seventeenth Agoa Forum, bringing together trade ministers from eligible countries in Agoa, the US government and the civil society to discuss the implementation of Agoa under the theme "Forging new strategies for the US-Africa trade and investment forum".

At the forum, African ministers stressed that African countries were not in a position to enter into free trade agreement negotiations with the United States, pending finalization of the African continent's FTA in agreement with the United States. recent leaders of the African Union. Ministers encouraged the United States to engage with Africa as a bloc through the AU in the development of the architecture of the trade and investment relationship post-2025 rather than with individual countries. This followed Lighthizer's announcement that the United States was planning to negotiate a free trade agreement with an African country that would serve as a model for other countries on the continent, the DTI said.