Ramaphosa to Press Trump on Tariffs and Trade at G7 Summit

(3 Minutes Read)

President Cyril Ramaphosa is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Canada this weekend. The meeting is expected to center on key trade issues, including the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and recent U.S.-South Africa tariff disputes.

The engagement follows South Africa’s submission of a revised trade framework aimed at strengthening bilateral trade and investment. In April, the U.S. imposed tariffs on South African imports, with a temporary 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs of up to 30% on South African exports. These tariffs were part of a broader U.S. strategy addressing trade imbalances but were later scaled back to 10%, giving countries a window to propose alternatives.

This will be Ramaphosa’s second meeting with Trump in three weeks, following discussions at the White House where he invited the U.S. President to the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg later this year — an invitation Trump has accepted.

According to sources close to Ramaphosa, the upcoming meeting will also address the looming expiration of AGOA in September. South Africa is pushing for its renewal, emphasising the benefits of continued duty-free access to the U.S. market for certain African products. Ramaphosa is also expected to argue against any further tariff increases should negotiations remain unresolved by the July 9 deadline.

Observers describe the meeting as critical, given heightened tensions around trade. “The business sector is growing increasingly concerned, and Ramaphosa needs to deliver tangible progress,” said a source familiar with the agenda. A successful meeting could help de-escalate trade friction and open the door to more stable relations.

While Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya has not commented on the agenda, Ramaphosa confirmed to journalists that he would also meet with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Ramaphosa noted that the G7 platform would serve to lay the groundwork for the G20 Summit South Africa will host in November, where Trump is expected to assume the G20 presidency.

Read Also;

https://trendsnafrica.com/g7-summit-discussed-investments-in-infra-projects-in-africa/

Last month, Ramaphosa was joined by several key ministers, including those responsible for trade, agriculture, international relations, and strategic planning. His delegation emphasised that South Africa was not submissively responding to U.S. demands but proactively seeking to reposition itself amid a shifting global order.