Country Info: South Africa
Economic Background
South Africa is a middle-income, emerging market with an abundant supply of natural resources; well-developed financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors and a stock exchange that is the 15th largest in the world. Even though the country possesses modern infrastructure that support a relatively efficient distribution of goods to major urban centers throughout the region, some components retard growth.
The economy began to slow in the second half of 2007 due to an electricity crisis. State power supplier Eskom encountered problems with aging plants and meeting electricity demand necessitating "load-shedding" cuts in 2007 and 2008 to residents and businesses in the major cities. Subsequently, the global financial crisis reduced commodity prices and world demand.
GDP fell nearly 2% in 2009 but has recovered since then. Unemployment, poverty, and inequality remain a challenge, with official unemployment at nearly 25% of the work force.
State power supplier Eskom has built two new power stations and installed new power demand management programs to improve power grid reliability.
South Africa's economic policy has focused on controlling inflation, however, the country has had significant budget deficits that restrict its ability to deal with pressing economic problems. The current government faces growing pressure from special interest groups to use state-owned enterprises to deliver basic services to low-income areas and to increase job growth. (Source: World Factbook, 2013)
Selection of document downloads
South Africa GSP Review Submission: Government of South Africa
South Africa under GSP country review: what implications for preferential exports to the United States?
On 25 March 2019, the United States Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) issued a notice through the Federal Register on its annual Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) product and country review. This is a relatively routine review process relating to the country’s nonreciprocal trade preference scheme(s). Exactly seven months later, on 25 October 2019, the USTR announced GSP “enforcement action” relating to seven...
Brochure - AGOA performance and country profile of South Africa (updated)
USITC 23 January 2018 Hearings - His Excellency Mninwa J. Mahlangu, Embassy of the Republic of South Africa
US Trade and Investment with Sub-Saharan Africa: Recent Developments
South Africa Government gazette - tariff rebate on US chicken imports
A temporary rebate provision under rebate item 460.03/0207.14.9/01.07 has been created for frozen meat of the species Gallus domesticus, cut in pieces with bone in, classifiable in tariff subheading 0207.14.9 and imported from or originating in the United States of America. This is created for such quantities, at such times and subject to such conditions as the International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) may allow by specific permit...
DRAFT guidelines for for the application of a DAFF quota allocation import permit
ITAC - DRAFT guidelines for for the application of a DAFF quota allocation (for imports of poultry) permit - 30 Oct 2015. Background: The South African Poultry Association (SAPA) and the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council (USAPEEC) and National Chicken Council (NCC) agreed on an annual quota of 65 000 MT (the quota) of bone-in chicken pieces, classifiable under tariff subheading 0207.14.9, that can be imported into South Africa without...
Copy of letter by Senators Coons and Isakson to Pres Zuma re poultry
Copy of letter sent by US Senators Coons and Isakson to South Africa's President Zuma, September 2015. This relates to the 'poultry' issue in the context of the South Africa Out-Of-Cycle Review under AGOA. The Senators urged South African President Jacob Zuma to act expeditiously to resolve remaining elements of the US-South Africa agreement reached in Paris earlier this year and allow US poultry exports to South Africa to resume.
South Africa - United States (TIFA) Agreement
Trade and Investment Framework Agreement between South Africa and the United States.
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