Some lawmakers in the United States have asked President Joe Biden’s administration to punish South Africa for its alleged support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which turn into a full-blown war.
The bipartisan group urged Biden Africa to relocate an important trade meeting to another country, according to CBS.
The lawmakers said South Africa’s “aid” for Russia, including allegedly supplying Moscow with weapons, put a question on its eligibility to receive trade benefits from the US.
They said the penalty should hinder trade benefits from the US under a law that boosted US market access to qualifying sub-Saharan African countries.
The letter, dated June 9, was sent to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, US Trade Representative Katherine Tai and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan.
South African foreign ministry spokesperson Clayson Monyela said in a statement that the letter had been “noted” but South Africa still “enjoys the support of the US government” for its hosting of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) meeting.
South Africa is one of the biggest beneficiaries of the act, which allows sub-Saharan African countries duty-free access to the US market offered they meet certain conditions.
South Africa’s exports to the US through AGOA were estimated at $3 billion last year. The US is South Africa’s second-biggest trade partner behind China.
Moving November’s meeting to another country “would send a clear and important message that the United States continues to stand with Ukraine and will not accept our trading partners provision of aid to Russia’s ongoing and brutal invasion,” the letter from the US lawmakers said.
It was signed by Democratic Senator Chris Coons, the chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs; Republican Senator Jim Risch, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Rep Gregory Meeks, a Democrat and the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Republican Rep Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
The US considers South Africa an important political and economic partner even though the country — especially its ruling African National Congress party — has historic ties with Russia dating back to the days of the Soviet Union. Because of that, South Africa’s government says it has adopted a non-aligned position on the war in Ukraine.
But while the U.S. largely accepted that position, it has viewed some of South Africa’s recent actions as not being neutral but actively favouring Russia in the war.
In their letter, they also referred to the visit of a Russian military plane, also under US sanctions, to a South African airbase in April, and South Africa’s decision to host Russian and Chinese warships for naval drills in February that coincided with the one-year anniversary of the Russian invasion.
“We are seriously concerned that hosting the 2023 AGOA Forum in South Africa would serve as an implicit endorsement of South Africa’s damaging support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and possible violation of U.S. sanctions law,” said the lawmakers’ letter.