DA MP George Michalakis asked Ramaphosa what he would say to the car workers and farm workers who would lose jobs “when Agoa \[the African Growth and Opportunity Act\] goes” and South Africa can no longer participate in the preferential trade act of the US.
Ramaphosa replied saying a number of countries in Africa had been given the opportunity to participate in Agoa, had their participation withdrawn and have had to find ways in which they could enhance their exports.
“Participation in Agoa is not at our behest. It is at the behest of the US and what we seek to do, and have done for many years, is to demonstrate that we are a good trading partner to the US and, indeed, to many countries around the world,” he said.
“There is going to be a review of the Agoa process and last year you might recall we held the Africa and US Agoa forum here in our own country and we were able — together with other African countries — to demonstrate that we do derive value from Agoa, but we also give value.
“We export, but we also import from the US. So it is a two-way process as it is with many countries around the world. As it is now, we continue, not only in anticipation of an Agoa initiative, but we continue to expand our export market for a variety of goods around the world,” Ramaphosa said.
The president said Deputy President Paul Mashatile was going to Japan with a ministerial delegation to open up more market space for South African goods in the east.
Similar visits are planned for the Middle East, Europe and China to foster similar ties.
“We do not take the opportunity that we have, as it is called the African Growth Opportunity Act, lightly. But we also want to demonstrate that, yes, we also have value to add. When I spoke to President Trump ... I informed him that we value participating in Agoa but I also informed him that we also sell critical minerals to the US and the relationship is fairly balanced.”
**TimesLIVE**