If they are imposed, Trump's blizzard of 'reciprocal' tariffs will hit beneficiaries of the African Growth and Opportunity Act more than most.

Africa is being hit by one disaster after another. Still reeling from US Agency for International Development funding cuts, it has had to digest US President Donald Trump's seemingly random and illogical massive trade tariffs.

These may have effectively killed the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), which gave non-reciprocal, duty-free access to the lucrative US market for most exports from 32 eligible sub-Saharan countries.

The 25-year-old programme would probably have been terminated anyway when it came up for renewal in September. But the huge tariffs, which were to kick in on 9 April, would override Agoa benefits, US officials told ISS Today - effectively making Agoa null and void.

Then, late on Wednesday after the markets crashed because of Trump's "tariff tantrum", he temporarily suspended tariff hikes for 90 days, except for a 10% baseline tariff and those on China, which were increased to 145%.

Few African countries have fully used Agoa benefits, but it has been useful for the likes of South Africa, Lesotho, Madagascar and Eswatini. One of the anomalies of Trump's tariffs...