Faith Nyasuguta
Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa has announced a decision to suspend tariffs on goods imported from the United States, in what he calls a step toward building a “positive relationship” with President Donald Trump’s administration.
This move comes shortly after Trump’s government imposed an 18% tariff on Zimbabwean exports to the U.S., dealing a blow to the country’s fragile economy. Mnangagwa, posting on social media platform X, said the suspension would “facilitate the expansion of American imports within the Zimbabwean market, while simultaneously promoting the growth of Zimbabwean exports destined for the United States.”
Trade between the two nations has remained modest. In 2024, bilateral trade totaled $111.6 million. U.S. exports to Zimbabwe rose by 10.6% to $43.8 million, while Zimbabwe’s exports to the U.S. fell sharply by 41% to $67.8 million.
Despite Mnangagwa’s optimistic tone, some experts are skeptical. Political analyst Tendai Mbanje argued that the tariff removal is unlikely to offer significant economic benefits to Zimbabwe, suggesting instead that it will mainly serve U.S. interests. Prominent journalist and government critic Hopewell Chin’ono also weighed in, saying the president’s move seems designed to “appease” the Trump administration.
Chin’ono added that Mnangagwa may be hoping for the lifting of personal sanctions placed on him by the U.S, though he called such a goal “a long shot.”
Sanctions have long defined U.S.-Zimbabwe relations. The initial round was imposed during the presidency of Robert Mugabe in the early 2000s, after a land reform program led to the seizure of white-owned farms and a crackdown on opposition voices. Although the Biden administration lifted broad sanctions in 2024, it introduced targeted measures against 11 individuals, including Mnangagwa, citing democratic backsliding, human rights violations, and corruption.
Mnangagwa has dismissed those allegations, calling the sanctions “illegal and unjustified.” In his statement about lifting tariffs, he emphasized that Zimbabwe seeks “amicable relations with all nations, and adversarial relationships with none.”
However, critics argue the president should be pursuing a more united regional response. Chin’ono pointed out that Mnangagwa, currently chair of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), ought to be rallying the bloc for a collective stance rather than acting unilaterally. “When countries face global economic shifts, coordinated responses offer better leverage and stability,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lesotho, also hit with a staggering 50% U.S. tariff, announced plans to send a delegation to Washington to renegotiate terms and explore new markets for its exports.
RELATED:
