Zimbabwe drops tariffs on US goods, seeks sanction relief
The President of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, announced on the platform X that his country, as the first in Africa, is suspending tariffs on goods imported from the United States. The President hopes that this gesture will encourage the White House to lift sanctions imposed by the previous administration due to corruption and human rights violations.
President Donald Trump imposed an 18% tariff on exports from Zimbabwe to the United States. However, many African countries were hit harder by these tariffs. The tiny kingdom of Lesotho faced a 50% tariff, while South Africa was subjected to a 30% tariff, similar to Madagascar and Botswana.
Zimbabwe lifts tariffs on goods from the USA
The tariffs imposed on Zimbabwe are not excessive, as trade between this country and the USA is minimal; it amounted to just 111.6 million dollars in 2024. The United States exported goods worth 43.8 million dollars, and for imports from Zimbabwe, mainly sugar and tobacco, they paid 67.8 million dollars.
For President Mnangagwa, suspending tariffs on American products is an opportunity to ingratiate himself with President Trump. The opposition in this southern African country views it this way, believing Mnangagwa hopes the administration will lift the sanctions imposed on him for corruption and human rights violations.
Zimbabwe has had tense diplomatic relations with the USA for a quarter of a century, ever since the controversial land policy was introduced by then-ruler Robert Mugabe, which involved expelling white farmers from the country and transferring their farms to black Zimbabweans.
In 2024, President Joe Biden lifted these penalties, replacing them with sanctions imposed on eleven individuals, including Mnangagwa, who ousted Mugabe from power in 2017.
Hopewell Chin’ono, a journalist critical of the president and highly regarded in Zimbabwe, wrote on X that Mnangagwa, currently the chairman of the regional bloc SADC, should seek to develop a joint response with the countries within it to the USA, instead of acting unilaterally.
The opposition also responded to the president with jokes, sharing on social media a recording in which Mnangagwa promises Trump the town of Victoria Falls, located near the Victoria Falls, encouraging the American leader to build a resort and golf course there.
US tariffs: Here are the details
10% tariffs on almost all goods from nearly all countries in the world came into effect on Saturday. This is the first part of tariffs, the implementation of which was announced by Trump on Wednesday.
The new tariffs will not, however, affect Canada and Mexico, which President Trump had already imposed a 25% tax on (it applies to about half of imports). Excluded from these tariffs are steel, aluminum, cars, and car parts, which are also subject to separate 25% tariffs, as well as copper, medicines, semiconductors, and timber (these are to be further taxed in the future), along with energy carriers and minerals not available in the USA.
Additional taxes are to be implemented on April 9th on goods from 57 countries with a trade surplus with the United States.
This group includes China and the European Union, which will be subject to an additional 34% and 20% tariff, respectively, along with Japan (24%), South Korea (25%), India (26%), Vietnam (46%), and Taiwan (32%).
