U.S. President Donald Trump notified Congress of his intent to remove South Africa and Rwanda from the eligibility list of the African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA, from Jan. 1, 2027, onward, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said in a Nov. 2 statement. The statement noted that both countries' actions were "inconsistent with AGOA's eligibility criteria," including "barriers that undermine American trade and investment" and "practices that pose a threat to U.S. national security and foreign policy interests."