South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is in Washington for critical talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, aiming to defuse tensions and secure trade and investment deals as U.S.-South Africa relations face challenges.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived in Washington on Wednesday to meet U.S. President Donald Trump, hoping to restore strained ties and unlock new trade and investment opportunities.
The visit follows months of tensions after Trump attacked South Africa’s land reform law, cut aid, expelled the ambassador, and accused the government of anti-white policies - claims Pretoria strongly denies.
"Whether we like it or not, we are joined at the hip and we need to be talking to them," Ramaphosa said on South African state TV ahead of the meeting.
The U.S. is South Africa’s second-largest trading partner, and aid cuts have already disrupted HIV testing. Ramaphosa is offering broad trade deals, including duty-free access for Tesla cars in exchange for infrastructure investment. Talks will also focus on protecting South African agricultural exports under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which is threatened by Trump’s tariff plans.
Trump is expected to demand that U.S. firms be exempt from South Africa’s empowerment laws, which require support for historically disadvantaged groups. Ramaphosa is unlikely to back down, as these policies are central to post-apartheid economic justice.
Ramaphosa is joined by ministers, luxury goods tycoon Johann Rupert, and golf stars Ernie Els and Retief Goosen - seen as possible bridges to Trump, who shares close ties with all three.
Despite Trump’s claims of land seizures and violence against white farmers, no such expropriations have occurred. White South Africans, who make up 7% of the population, still control most farmland and remain wealthier than the Black majority.
U.S. forces say they have completed strikes on Iranian military sites near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded with missile attacks on an American b...
Türkiye and Syria plan to increase annual bilateral trade to $5 billion within the next two years, officials from both countries said on Tuesday, as ...
As global diplomatic dynamics continue to evolve, the European Union is reassessing its ability to respond effectively to major international developm...
Uzbekistan plans to create a National Geological Data Bank and expand the use of artificial intelligence (AI) across the mining sector as part of effo...
Azerbaijan is considering new restrictions on children's use of social media, including a minimum registration age of 16 and fines for platforms that ...
U.S. forces say they have completed strikes on Iranian military sites near the Strait of Hormuz. Iran responded with missile attacks on an American base in Jordan, marking a sharp escalation in tensions between the two sides.
Türkiye and Syria plan to increase annual bilateral trade to $5 billion within the next two years, officials from both countries said on Tuesday, as they seek to deepen economic ties and support Syria's recovery.
As global diplomatic dynamics continue to evolve, the European Union is reassessing its ability to respond effectively to major international developments, prompting renewed debate over defence coordination, foreign policy decision-making and institutional reform.
Uzbekistan plans to create a National Geological Data Bank and expand the use of artificial intelligence (AI) across the mining sector as part of efforts to attract $30 billion in investment by 2030.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry says 19 citizens have been repatriated following a deadly drone attack on two cargo ships in the Sea of Azov on 5 June.
A Sudanese man has been arrested over a knife attack in Belfast that left a man seriously injured and prompted calls online for a protest after footage of the incident circulated widely on social media.
Iran and Israel said on Monday (8 June) they had halted attacks on each other following an appeal from U.S. President Donald Trump, as Axios reported that Trump had privately told Benjamin Netanyahu “be careful, or you will be on your own very soon”.
Ukraine's military said it struck a Russian "shadow fleet" tanker in the Black Sea as part of ongoing efforts to disrupt Moscow's energy and logistics networks. The move underscores Kyiv's focus on targeting maritime assets it says are used to bypass sanctions on Russian oil exports.
Armenia’s parliamentary election has strengthened Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s mandate, with analysts linking the result to his post-Garabagh agenda and pro-Western direction. However, constitutional constraints remain a key obstacle to peace efforts with Azerbaijan.
As global diplomatic dynamics continue to evolve, the European Union is reassessing its ability to respond effectively to major international developments, prompting renewed debate over defence coordination, foreign policy decision-making and institutional reform.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to be one of a kind when it kicks off on 11 June, as it brings with it a slew of firsts ahead of co-hosts Mexico taking on South Africa in the opening match.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has warned that Israel’s military operations in Syria and Lebanon have escalated to a point where they could threaten Türkiye, describing Israel’s actions as “aggression” that poses a broader global risk.
More than 1,300 migrants died or went missing while attempting to reach Spain between January and May 2026, according to Spanish NGO Caminando Fronteras, highlighting the continuing dangers of one of the world's deadliest migration corridors.
Rescuers searched the rubble of a collapsed building in the southern Philippine city of General Santos on Tuesday after a powerful earthquake killed at least 37 people and injured hundreds across the country.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment