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Solidarity blames Ramaphosa and Lamola for US decision on AGOA Solidarity has expressed its disappointment at the White House’s decision not to retain South Africa as a beneficiary country under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) for 2028. This decision is a direct result of the South African government’s failure to repair the deteriorating diplomatic relationship with the United States. Despite Solidarity’s repeated and sustained efforts to safeguard South Africa’s participation in AGOA, it was already clear last week that relations between Pretoria and Washington had deteriorated to such an extent that the White House was no longer willing to keep South Africa in the programme. The government, President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister Ronald Lamola repeatedly ignored warnings. Instead, they pursued a foreign policy and made public statements that further strained relations with one of South Africa’s most important trading partners. According to Jaco Kleynhans, Head of Public Liaison at Solidarity, the organisation played a key role last year in securing support in the US Congress to extend AGOA by two years, until the end of 2028. “Through direct engagement with senators, members of the House of Representatives and officials, we helped secure the continuation of the legislation itself. We are currently working with members of Congress on plans to extend AGOA beyond 2028. However, the annual review of beneficiary countries remains the responsibility of the White House. Ramaphosa and Lamola’s antagonism towards Trump and the White House made it impossible for the Trump administration to keep South Africa in AGOA. “We have been warning for months that the government’s actions, including Minister Lamola’s undiplomatic remarks during his visit to the US in September, were putting South Africa’s participation in AGOA at risk. The government, Lamola and Ramaphosa must take full responsibility for this exclusion. Ordinary workers and industries will now pay the price for political negligence,” says Kleynhans. Solidarity urgently calls on the government to resolve the dispute with the US immediately and constructively. The economic cost of this decision – particularly for the automotive, agricultural and other export-oriented industries – will be significant and will put thousands of jobs at risk. In the meantime, Solidarity is engaging with the US government to limit the negative impact of the AGOA decision on its members and the affected industries in South Africa as far as possible. The organisation will continue to protect the interests of workers and the economy, regardless of the government’s failure to do so.