WASHINGTON, May 20 (NNN-SANEWS) — President Cyril Ramaphosa has arrived in Washington DC for a high-level Working Visit aimed at resetting and revitalising bilateral relations between South Africa and the United States.
Touching down in the US capital this Monday afternoon, the President was in high spirits as he greeted members of the media with a warm smile and a wave before proceeding into his hotel.
The visit is set against the backdrop of a rapidly changing global landscape and comes at a time when both countries are exploring opportunities to redefine their engagement.
On Wednesday, President Ramaphosa is expected to meet with US President Donald Trump at the White House, in what is seen as a pivotal moment for strengthening cooperation in trade, investment, and global diplomacy.
Speaking to media upon arrival, Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya emphasised the importance of the visit, describing it as a significant step in reframing bilateral, economic and trade relations.
“The President is prepared for the moment. He’s looking forward to it. He’s highly enthused, and we’re looking forward to a very successful meeting aimed at resetting the relationship between South Africa and the United States,” Magwenya said.
He added that the primary goal is to engage openly and constructively on a range of issues, with a strong focus on trade relations.
“The whole world knows there is no persecution of any particular race in South Africa. So, we don’t need to spend any effort dispelling something that is well known is not there.
“We’re going to be focusing on opportunities that will underpin this resetting of the relationship, and we’re looking forward to ironing out whatever issues of concern that there may be,” he said.
The future of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a US trade preference programme, is expected to feature prominently in the discussions.
“We would still like to see AGOA extended and see South Africa’s continued participation in AGOA. However, if the Trump administration has decided to do away with the trade scheme, we will then be ready to table an outline of what will be a new trade relationship framework,” said Magwenya.
AGOA is a US trade preference programme that benefits eligible sub-Saharan African countries, providing duty-free access to the US market for many products, including vehicles, citrus, wine, and some apparel.
In April, President Trump announced global reciprocal tariffs on most imported goods, with South Africa facing a 31% tariff increase, effectively nullifying the preference that sub-Saharan African countries enjoy under AGOA.
Commenting on broader multilateral dynamics, including South Africa’s G20 Presidency, Magwenya addressed questions about the perceived lack of high-level US participation in recent ministerial meetings.
“[On] that so-called instruction [by the National Security Council], we have not received any formal communication. As far as that is concerned, we’ve seen media reports citing unnamed sources, so we can’t respond to that.
“Up until now, the US has been fully engaged in the Troika, participating in all G20-related activities. The invitation to President Trump remains open to join other Heads of State at the G20 Summit in November. It’s still a long time between now and then, and a lot can still happen,” Magwenya said.
When asked whether President Ramaphosa was apprehensive, particularly in light of past contentious interactions between President Trump and other world leaders, Magwenya was unequivocal.
“No, he’s not apprehensive at all. We don’t think President Trump invited [the] President for that kind of treatment. There are issues of concern on the side of the US and on our side as well. It is possible that those issues may trigger a rather robust discussion, that’s all in the nature of these engagements.
“President Ramaphosa… has his own style of engaging. He’s got his own style of communicating, and so we cannot attribute that event to what may or may not happen,” he said.
The Spokesperson also responded to questions on the so-called “persecution” of white South African farmers and the refugee narrative.
“Clearly, it’s an issue that needs to be addressed, and it will be addressed. But the President is not planning to spend an inordinate amount of time on that issue. The focus is on resetting this relationship and refocusing towards a revised and more enhanced and mutually beneficial trade relationship,” he said.
On whether President Ramaphosa will meet South African-born entrepreneur Elon Musk during his time in the US, Magwenya said: “Well, we’ve just arrived. We’re going to be briefed by our team that advanced here, and so we will take direction from them in terms of what has been done, what has been prepared, and the allocations.”
President Ramaphosa is accompanied by a high-level delegation of Ministers, including Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola; Minister in The Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni; Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau; Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, and the Special Envoy to the United States of America, Mcebisi Jonas. — NNN-SANEWS
