Africa: US President Donald Trump has signed into law a new bill extending the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) until December 31, 2026. This trade preference program has been in place since 2000, granted by the United States to sub-Saharan African countries.

On February 3, US President Donald Trump signed into law a new bill extending the AGOA program until December 31, 2026. This trade preference program has been in place since 2000, granted by the United States to sub-Saharan African countries. “President Trump has signed into law legislation that extends the AGOA trade preference program through December 31, 2026, with retroactive effect to September 30, 2025,” White House Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in a statement.

Greer also indicated that he would “work in the coming days with relevant government agencies to implement any changes to the United States Harmonized Tariffs Act as a result of the AGOA legislation.” He further stated that he would work with Congress to “modernize the program to align it with President Trump’s America First policy.”

The White House clarified in this same context that African countries should now open themselves up more to American products to benefit from this trade preference program, which expired on October 1, 2025, amidst the implementation of new tariffs by the Trump administration. “The 21st-century AGOA must demand more from our trading partners and provide better market access for American businesses, farmers, and ranchers, in order to capitalize on the benefits it has historically brought to Africa and the USA,” Mr. Greer emphasized.

Uncertainty surrounds South Africa’s continued participation

Launched in May 2000, the AGOA program allows eligible sub-Saharan African countries to export more than 1,800 products to the United States duty-free, in addition to the more than 5,000 products that already benefit from duty-free access under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP). Each year, Washington updated the list of eligible countries, based in particular on their commitment to the market economy, respect for the rule of law, and anti-poverty policies. The program also takes into account the democratic progress or setbacks of the countries concerned.

In January 2026, the House of Representatives voted to renew AGOA for three years, but the Senate reduced the duration to one year, as desired by the President, who advocated for a thorough overhaul of the program.

It should also be noted that uncertainty still surrounds South Africa’s continued inclusion on the list of beneficiary countries. The Rainbow Nation currently has a strained relationship with the Trump administration, which accuses Pretoria of persecuting white citizens. Trump boycotted the G20 summit held in Johannesburg in November 2025. He also announced that South Africa would not be invited to the summit scheduled for 2026 in Miami.

Washington also criticizes Africa’s leading economic power for maintaining close ties with US rivals. Members of Congress recently discussed the “close relationship” between South Africa and strategic rivals of the United States, in connection with the participation of China, Russia, and Iran in naval exercises off the coast of South Africa.