The United States plans to end Rwanda's and South Africa's eligibility for AGOA trade preferences on January 1, 2027, citing concerns over trade barriers, governance and U.S. security interests.

WASHINGTON — November 2, 2026 — U.S. President Donald Trump has notified Congress and the governments of Rwanda and South Africa of his intention to remove both countries from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) trade preference program, effective January 1, 2027, according to an official announcement by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the proposed action followed an annual interagency assessment of which sub-Saharan African countries meet AGOA's eligibility criteria. The administration concluded that practices in both countries were inconsistent with those requirements.

Washington Cites Human Rights and Governance Concerns in Rwanda

For Rwanda, the USTR statement identifies trade and investment barriers, rule of law, political pluralism, internationally recognized workers' rights, human rights, and threats to U.S. national security and foreign policy interests.

The announcement comes amid wider tensions between Washington and Kigali over the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, the November 2 USTR statement does not explicitly name M23 or the Congo conflict as a reason for the proposed AGOA removal.

South Africa Also Targeted

For South Africa, the Trump administration cited barriers to U.S. trade and investment, corruption, and threats to American national security and foreign policy interests, according to the same official release.

Greer said the administration wants African partners to take steps to satisfy AGOA's eligibility requirements.

What Would Losing AGOA Benefits Mean?