In a statement Wednesday, South Africa’s Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies said the US has granted the country tariff exemptions on certain steel and aluminum products.
Davies reportedly met with US trade officials in July to request the exemptions after an initial request was denied in May. He said the exemptions are step toward “normalizing” trade relations between the two counties, and they will help ensure that jobs in the steel and aluminum industries will be retained.
The exempted products include hot rolled steel bars, hot rolled steel sheets, cold rolled steel sheets, cut-length steel plate and steel plates in coils. Exempted aluminum products include foil, plates, sheets and strip.
US Senators Chris Coons, Johnny Isakson and Roger Wicker had been reportedly pushing for the US to exempt South African steel and aluminum products from Section 232 tariffs, arguing that the country would place reciprocal tariffs on US chicken imports.
In a letter sent to US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross in September, the Senators said, “We urge you to continue advancing our trade relationships on the continent by exempting South Africa from the Section 232 tariffs, which will in turn preserve our AGOA agreement with South Africa and support the US poultry industry.”