South Africa Expects US Trade Talks to Continue Despite G20 Rift

South Africa's trade minister Parks Tau said he expects trade negotiations with the United States to continue despite disagreements at the G20 summit. The host country advanced a Leaders' Declaration despite U.S. objections and a partial boycott. Talks are complicated by former President Trump's unproven accusations of persecution and a 30% U.S. tariff imposed in August that could threaten tens of thousands of jobs.

10:19 PM, 11/23/2025Economy

South Africa Expects US Trade Talks to Continue Despite G20 Rift

South Africa's trade minister, Parks Tau, said on Sunday that he expects negotiations with the United States over a bilateral trade agreement to continue despite a rift between the two countries at this weekend's G20 summit in Johannesburg.

The host nation pushed through a G20 Leaders' Declaration despite objections from the U.S., which partially boycotted some summit events. "We've compartmentalised these issues and said the G20 is a separate process... we anticipate that the trade discussions will continue," Tau told reporters at the summit.

Talks toward a trade deal have been complicated by several contentious matters, notably former President Donald Trump's unsubstantiated claims that South Africa is persecuting its white minority. Those claims heightened tensions between the two countries and have fed into broader diplomatic friction.

In August, the United States imposed a 30% tariff on certain imports from South Africa — a move that economists warn could put tens of thousands of jobs at risk just as Africa's largest economy faces sluggish growth. South African officials say they aim to keep economic and diplomatic channels open to resolve trade and political differences.

Context: Continued negotiations would aim to separate broader geopolitical disagreements from technical trade discussions, preserving a path to potential economic cooperation while leaders address political disputes through diplomatic channels.

Reporting: Alexander Winning and Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo

South Africa Expects US Trade Talks to Continue Despite G20 Rift

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