New Trade and Industry Minister Parks Tau is fighting for SA's continued participation in Agoa at the Agoa Forum in Washington this week.

The formation of the Government of National Unity (GNU) has secured South Africa a "honeymoon period" for retaining its privileged access to US markets under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa). This is the view of US politicians and South African trade analysts on the eve of the annual Agoa Forum which runs from Wednesday, 24 July to Friday, 26 July in Washington.

South Africa's continued participation in Agoa and its good diplomatic relations with the US generally have been under attack in the US, mainly from conservative Republican members of Congress -- though with some Democratic support -- who have tabled legislation that would oblige the Biden administration to conduct a comprehensive review of US-SA bilateral relations that includes an assessment of whether SA is undermining US national security and foreign policy interests.

These legislators have been antagonised over the past two years by the ANC government's friendships with Russia, China and Iran -- and its perceived hostility to Israel, particularly in taking it to the International Court of Justice on charges of genocide in Gaza.

If the legislation proposed by Republican Representative John James passes and the Biden administration is forced to review US-SA relations and...