US Boycotts Americas Parliamentary Pact Amid Tensions with Venezuela

The US has announced its decision to boycott the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (TIAR), a regional defense pact in the Americas. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated that the US will not participate in any meetings or activities related to the TIAR. The TIAR is a mutual defense agreement among 19 countries in the Americas, aimed at promoting regional security and cooperation. The US boycott of the TIAR comes amid tensions with Venezuela, as the pact has been invoked by several countries in the region to address the crisis in Venezuela. The US has been a vocal critic of the Venezuelan government and has imposed sanctions on the country. The US boycott is seen as a further escalation of tensions in the region [4ff36bf1].

The South African delegation's visit to the US is expected to address the concerns raised in the US review of South Africa's human rights record. The delegation's focus on investment opportunities, job creation, and economic recovery indicates an effort to improve the economic aspect of the bilateral relationship. The visit is seen as a diplomatic move to engage in dialogue and strengthen ties between the two countries [e428b39e].

The US House of Representatives recently voted for a 'full review' of the relationship between the US and South Africa, causing alarm among the business lobby. The review will examine issues such as trade, investment, and human rights. The move comes as the Biden administration has expressed concerns about corruption and human rights abuses in South Africa. The business lobby fears that the review could lead to the imposition of sanctions or other measures that could harm trade and investment between the two countries [d0012d8e].

The recently introduced bill in the US Congress, which calls for a review of the relationship, raises concerns about South Africa's ties to Hamas, Russia, and China, as well as issues such as load shedding, Transnet's problems, and state capture. The Wall Street Journal has criticized South Africa for moving towards an anti-US axis and highlights the potential consequences of losing the benefits of AGOA, which provides duty-free access to 25% of South African exports to the US [0b0b9d14].

The business lobby in South Africa is alarmed by the US House's decision, fearing that it could lead to the imposition of sanctions or other measures that could harm trade and investment between the two countries. The South African government has expressed disappointment with the decision and has called for dialogue and engagement instead [d0012d8e].

The issue of American pork exports to South Africa adds to the ongoing debate surrounding the bilateral relationship between the United States and South Africa. The restrictions on US pork products violate South Africa's commitments under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which governs trade between the US and 32 African countries. The restrictions have created uncertainty for hog farmers and prevented South Africans from consuming American pork. Iowa and North Carolina, the top pork-producing states in the US, are particularly affected by these restrictions. The US pork industry supports over 600,000 American jobs and generates billions of dollars in economic output [f445a076].

In an opinion piece published by Agri-Pulse, Representatives Randy Feenstra and Greg Murphy call for the full repeal of California's Proposition 12, which imposes animal welfare standards on pork products, and for the Biden administration to hold South Africa accountable to its obligations under AGOA. The lawmakers emphasize the importance of fair treatment for US pork exports in the South African market and strict enforcement of trade laws. They highlight the significant economic impact of the pork industry and the need to address the financial losses faced by hog farmers [f445a076].

The bill calling for a review of the US-South Africa relationship will now be considered by the full House for debate and voting. If passed, it could potentially lead to a reordering of the relationship between the two countries, including the issue of American pork exports to South Africa [485b862e].

International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola stated that South Africa's human rights stance and economic engagements with the United States should not be mixed. Lamola made this statement in response to the US bilateral review of South Africa's human rights record. He emphasized that economic engagements should not be conditional on human rights issues. The review, conducted by the US State Department, highlighted concerns about corruption, violence against women, and discrimination in South Africa. Lamola argued that these issues should be addressed separately from economic relations. He also stated that South Africa is committed to upholding human rights and is working to address the concerns raised in the review. The US bilateral review is part of the US government's assessment of human rights practices in countries around the world [39d2cf4e].

South Africa's newly formed government plans to lobby against a Senate review of ties between the country and the US during an upcoming forum on US preferential trade access. The House of Representatives passed a law requiring a full assessment of bilateral relations and submitted it to the Senate for approval. South African business lobby groups have warned that the legislation threatens to curb trade with the US, which could hinder economic growth. A delegation will head to the US to attend the AGOA Forum in Washington, DC from July 24-26. The US is South Africa's second-largest trading partner after China [aa6fd7f8].