HARARE – The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has publicly voiced its “profound concern” regarding the United States’ imposition of new import tariffs, directly contradicting a recent unilateral decision by its current chair, Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The US, last week, announced a 10% baseline tariff on all imports, effective April 5, 2025, followed by “reciprocal” tariffs on specific SADC member states, taking effect on April 9, 2025.
These reciprocal tariffs, ranging from 10% to 50%, significantly impact key export sectors like textiles and clothing, effectively nullifying the benefits of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) for most SADC members.
SADC highlighted the disproportionate impact on member states, with Lesotho facing a 50% tariff and Madagascar a 47% tariff. Other member states like Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe also face significant tariffs, while Seychelles is exempt.
The announcement underscores the SADC’s commitment to multilateral trade rules and fair competition under the World Trade Organization (WTO).
This collective stance directly clashes with Mnangagwa’s earlier announcement of suspending tariffs on US imports into Zimbabwe. This move, he claimed, was aimed at promoting Zimbabwean exports to the US, despite the US imposing an 18% tariff on Zimbabwean goods.
“This measure is intended to facilitate the expansion of American imports within the Zimbabwean market, while simultaneously promoting the growth of Zimbabwean exports destined for the United States,” Mnangagwa stated in a statement posted on his X handle.
The SADC’s response reveals a clear divergence in approach between the regional body and its chair. While Mnangagwa seeks a bilateral solution with the US, the SADC is pursuing a unified regional response.
Former Finance Minister Tendai Biti warned that Mnangagwa’s move was “a huge betrayal.”
“The response to US imposed tariffs or any other external threat to the region can’t be unilateral opportunistic and I’ll thought.
“Zimbabwe particularly in its capacity as SADC chair had a duty of leading a regional response anchored on values, research pan African interest,” Biti stated.
“The region has solidly stood with the regime in Harare for years and the same owes a duty of care to the region.
“The region faces serious geopolitical threats including the war in the DRC and the threat of global war. Unilateralism is myopic selfish and suicidal. It is a huge betrayal.”
The SADC Secretariat has initiated a detailed assessment of the US measures’ impact on regional trade, with findings to be reviewed by ministerial committees in June and August 2025. This assessment will inform a collective response from SADC member states.
“SADC reiterates its commitment to further the objectives of the SADC Treaty through continued adherence to multilateral trade rules and fair competition administered by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and remains open to engagement with stakeholders on these matters,” the regional body stated.
The trade between the US and Zimbabwe is relatively small, totaling US$111.6 million in 2024, with US exports to Zimbabwe at US$43.8 million and imports at US$67.8 million.
