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US, South Africa hold bilateral trade talks

May 8, 2026, 6:44am EDT
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A general view of the Container Terminal at the port in Durban.
Rogan Ward/Reuters

The US and South Africa held bilateral trade talks, a sign that ties may be improving after months of tension.

Relations between Washington and Africa’s biggest economy have eroded since the start of US President Donald Trump’s second term, with the American leader accusing South Africa of carrying out a “genocide” of its white population.

Though the claims have been dismissed by experts, they have nonetheless prompted Washington to impose significant levies on Pretoria, pushing the country closer to China’s sphere of influence. However the White House’s recent drive to increase its access to African mineral resources has raised hopes of closer trade relations.

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