In a high-stakes encounter that may either strengthen or weaken the already tense ties between the two countries, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday. Ramaphosa is optimistic that his visit will put an end to a diplomatic spat that led to Trump canceling aid and driving his country’s ambassador to the US out of office.
As associations between both parties worsen, there are also concerns that the African country may now lose some of its trading privileges with America. Ramaphosa’s visit takes place a little more than a week after 59 white South Africans were given refugee status and sent to the United States.
Why is the White House focused on White South African refugees?
US president and his supporter, Elon Musk, who was born and raised in South Africa, claimed that South Africans are facing persecution in their country. During a hearing on Tuesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned that resettling more White South Africans as refugees aligns with US national interest, stating they make up “a small subset” and are “easier to vet.”
An expropriation law passed in South Africa earlier this year has drawn harsh criticism from the Trump administration. In some situations, the law gives the South African government the authority to seize land and redistribute it without having to provide compensation.
Trump referenced unsubstantiated reports that “a genocide is taking place” in South Africa and said that farms owned by the country’s tiny White population, who hold 72% of its agricultural land, were being targeted for expropriation. Amid allegations of agricultural assaults, he went on to say that “White farmers are being brutally killed.”
Furthermore, the US president is against South Africa’s genocide complaint involving US ally Israel at the International Court of Justice. He plans to “discuss bilateral, regional, and global issues of interest” with the South African president at the White House, as stated by Ramaphosa’s office. Analysts suggest that this meeting could signify a new chapter in their strained relationship.
What are the stakes of the Trump–Ramaphosa White House meeting?
The US is South Africa’s second-largest commercial partner, and the African country gains the most from a US trade pact that grants qualified sub-Saharan African countries preferred duty-free access to US markets. Two-thirds of South Africa’s agricultural products are sent to the US duty-free under that deal, making it the country’s largest agricultural exporter. However, when the trade pact is examined this year, some US politicians want such perks to be removed.
If Washington imposes costly demands, crucial negotiations between Trump and Ramaphosa could be halted. Washington’s insistence that Pretoria address the Land Expropriation Act or the Gaza Case to uphold the US-SA relationship would be a deal-breaker. Without jeopardizing the current relationship with the US, it would be fascinating to observe how President Ramaphosa upholds sovereignty and his declaration that he “will not be bullied by America.”
It could be one of Ramaphosa’s hardest tasks. Among all the difficulties he faced throughout his tenure as president of the Republic of South Africa, this could have been the most significant.
