A bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers wants the Biden Administration to punish South Africa for what they call its support for Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine by relocating an important trade meeting to another country, according to a letter published Tuesday in The New York Times.
The lawmakers also said that South Africa’s “aid” for Russia, including allegedly supplying Moscow with weapons for its war in Ukraine, calls into question its eligibility to receive trade benefits from the U.S. under the African Growth and Opportunity Act.
South African Foreign Ministry spokesman Clayson Monyela said Tuesday in a statement that the U.S. lawmakers’ letter had been “noted” but South Africa still “enjoys the support of the U.S. government” for its hosting of the AGOA meeting.
South Africa’s exports to the U.S. through AGOA were estimated at $3 billion last year. The U.S. is South Africa’s second-biggest trade partner behind China.
Moving November’s AGOA meeting to another country “would…
