Trump signs into law the reauthorisation of AGOA

Almost five months after its expiration date, United States (US) President Donald Trump has signed into law legislation that reauthorises the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

The move follows months of deliberations by US lawmakers amid threats that some beneficiaries from sub-Saharan Africa would be booted from AGOA.

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AGOA, which was established in 2000, exempts eligible African countries from taxes on their exports to the US.

South Africa’s bilateral ties with the US were tested in 2025 when some members of the US Congress wanted Pretoria to be punished for its foreign policy.

SA’s agricultural sector and manufacturers would have been among the biggest losers.

Since then, calls for an extension of AGOA received strong bi-partisan support in the US House of Representatives in January, and were given the green light by the Senate last week.

Trump has now assented the legislation, signing it into law for another year.

South Africa has survived threats of being chopped from the scheme.

The trade preference programme will now run until 31 December 2026, with retroactive effect to 30 September 2025.