SOUTH African President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed a willingness to negotiate a diplomatic agreement with former US President Donald Trump following Washington’s decision to cut financial assistance. Speaking at a Johannesburg event hosted by US investment bank Goldman Sachs, Ramaphosa said he hoped to ‘do a deal’ with Trump to restore relations amid tensions over South Africa’s land policies and its legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
The move follows Trump’s recent executive order reducing US aid to South Africa. According to a Reuters report, Trump cited concerns over the country’s land reform approach and its decision to bring a genocide case against Israel at the ICJ, a move seen as aligning against Washington’s close ally.
Seeking diplomacy over dispute
Addressing business leaders on Thursday, Ramaphosa said he wanted the current tensions to settle before engaging with Washington directly. His long-term goal, he stated, was not merely to justify South Africa’s position but to establish a strategic agreement covering trade, diplomacy, and broader political cooperation.
‘We don’t want to go and explain ourselves. We want to go and do a meaningful deal with the United States on a whole range of issues,’ he said. ‘I’m very positively inclined to promoting a good relationship with President Trump.’
While Ramaphosa did not specify the details of such a deal, his remarks suggested an emphasis on maintaining South Africa’s economic and diplomatic standing with the US.
Trade ties under scrutiny
Although South Africa is not heavily reliant on US aid, there are growing concerns that its preferential trade status under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) could be at risk. The agreement provides duty-free access for South African exports to the US market, a significant economic advantage that could be jeopardised if tensions escalate.
South Africa has long positioned itself as a non-aligned player in global affairs, maintaining relationships with major powers, including the US, China, and Russia. However, Trump has pointed to the ICJ case as evidence of South Africa taking positions contrary to Washington’s interests.
With uncertainty looming over trade agreements and diplomatic ties, Ramaphosa’s remarks signal a potential push to recalibrate relations with the US under Trump’s leadership.
