US lawmakers abandon request for assessing South Africa relations
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South Africa asserts that although it may hold differing viewpoints from the US on geopolitical matters, the relationship between the two countries remains strong.
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The Capitol is seen in Washington, on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024 (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
US legislators have decided not to move forward with a proposed review of South Africa's relationship with the United States over potential national security concerns, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday.
On Monday, President Joe Biden enacted a revised version of an essential annual defense-policy bill that omitted an earlier amendment approved by the House of Representatives in June, which called for the review.
Earlier this year, two congressmen introduced a bipartisan proposal to the House, criticizing various foreign-policy decisions made by South Africa, including its case at the United Nations’ International Court of Justice, in which it accuses "Israel" of genocide.
This proposed legislation built on criticism from US lawmakers the previous year regarding Pretoria's reluctance to align with Western views on Russia's conflict in Ukraine, along with its growing association with the BRICS economic group.
South Africa asserts that although it may hold differing viewpoints from the US on geopolitical matters, the relationship between the two countries remains strong. The US is South Africa’s largest trading partner after China.
Over the weekend, the US announced that South Africa will continue to benefit from preferential access to the largest economy in the world in 2025 for thousands of products.
After conducting its annual evaluation of which countries qualify for duty-free access under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, Washington has kept its list of eligible and ineligible nations unchanged for the upcoming year, according to a statement from the Office of the US Trade Representative.
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