Zimbabwe’s President, Emmerson Mnangagwa, announced on Saturday that he would suspend all tariffs on goods imported from the United States, just days after U.S President Donald Trump imposed an 18 percent tariff on goods from Zimbabwe.
Mnangagwa stated in a post on X that the suspension aimed to “facilitate the expansion of American imports within the Zimbabwean market, while simultaneously promoting the growth of Zimbabwean exports destined for the United States.”
The Southern African nation’s primary trading partners include the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, and China, with Zimbabwe’s minimal exports to the U.S. consisting mainly of tobacco and sugar.
According to U.S. government data, total trade between the two nations reached $111.6 million in 2024.
The relationship between Zimbabwe and the U.S. has been historically strained, particularly during the rule of former president Robert Mugabe, with Harare often attributing the country’s severe economic downturn to U.S. sanctions.
The country has since shifted its focus away from Western alliances, fostering stronger economic ties with China and the UAE.
Despite the U.S. lifting its former sanctions programme last year, Washington has continued to impose targeted sanctions on Mnangagwa and other senior members of Zimbabwe’s government and ruling ZANU-PF party, citing human rights violations and corruption.
Mnangagwa condemned the sanctions, calling them “illegal and unjustified.”
Hopewell Chin’ono, a prominent journalist and activist, criticized Mnangagwa’s decision, describing it as a “knee-jerk reaction” that could be an attempt to have the sanctions lifted.
Chin’ono also pointed out the risks of Zimbabwe’s unilateral action, saying it “contradicts the principles of regional economic cooperation” within the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and might alienate Zimbabwe’s main trade partners.
He also questioned the effectiveness of the move, asking, “Does Zimbabwe even export enough to the U.S. to justify trying to appease Trump’s administration in this way?”
