Washington’s ambassador to South Africa finally arrived in the country, where he will seek to improve frayed bilateral ties.
The US has not had an ambassador in Pretoria since January 2025, and relations have badly deteriorated since the beginning of US President Donald Trump’s second term. Trump has repeatedly accused Pretoria of carrying out a “genocide” against South Africa’s white population, a charge experts reject. He has also imposed onerous tariffs on the country and the pair have sparred over Pretoria’s legal action against Israel over the Gaza war.
The White House’s pressure has pushed Africa’s biggest economy closer to China — the two recently signed a free-trade agreement — even as Washington is looking to outmuscle Beijing on the continent.