South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has warned that trade is increasingly being used as a weapon, as he confirmed ongoing talks with the United States to reduce tariffs. Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, Ramaphosa called for fair regulation of global trade and urged support for countries in the Global South to access adequate capital for development. Pretoria faces a 30 percent US tariff, the highest in Africa, while trying to negotiate a deal with Washington. He also stressed the importance of extending the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), highlighting South Africa’s reliance on preferential access to US markets.
