Zimbabwe President Emerson Mangagawa has announced that it will stop the tariffs for goods imported from the United States in an attempt to build “positive relations” with President Donald Trump's administration.
This move comes days after Trump imposed 18% rates for the US exports to the United States.
“This measure is intended to facilitate the expansion of US imports within the Zimbabwe market, while promoting the growth of Zimbabwe exports intended for the United States,” he told X.
Zimbabwe has strained diplomatic relations with the United States since adopting a controversial policy on Earth about 25 years ago and because of its poor human rights records.
Trade between the two countries only amounts to $ 111.6 million in 2024, US Government data showS
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The United States exported $ 43.8 million goods (34 million pounds) to Zimbabwe in 2024, which was 10.6% compared to the previous year, while imports dropped by 41% to $ 67.8 million.
Zimbabwe's political analyst Tandai MBAGE told the AFP news agency that the decision would not lead to significant economic benefits for Zimbabwe and would only benefit the United States.
The prominent Zimbabwe journalist and government critic Hopwell Chin'on said that the president seems to be trying to “calm” the Trump administration.
Mnangawa probably hopes the administration will cancel its sanctions, but it was a “long shot”, he added to X.
The United States first imposed sanctions on the Zimbabwe government during Robert Mugabe's reign after it introduced a land reform program in 2000, which led to the seizure of white -owned farms and due to repressive measures taken against the opposition.
The US administration in the United States defamed the sanctions in 2024, replacing them with targeted sanctions of 11 persons – including Mnangagwa – for “democratic return, human rights violations and corruption of the government”.
Early Mnangagwa denied allegations, describing sanctions as “illegal and justified”.
Deciding his decision to abandon the US import tariffs, he said that Zimbabwe's focus was on “promoting friendly relations with all nations and cultivating racing relations with anyone.”
“This action emphasizes our commitment to a fair trade framework and increased bilateral cooperation,” he added.
Chin'ono said Mnangagwa is currently chairman of the SADC regional block and should try to express a common response to the United States rather than acting unilaterally.
“When the countries face global economic changes, coordinated answers offer a better lever and stability,” he added.
Lesoto – another South African state – was affected by 50% tariffs, the highest on the list published by Trump on Wednesday.
His government said he would send a delegation to the US to negotiate a new deal and search for new markets for his goods.