The US placed Emmerson Mnangagwa on the so-called Magnitsky sanctions list last year for alleged “gross abuses” after his disputed election victory in 2023. (Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa said he’ll suspend tariffs on imports of US goods, seeking to turn Donald Trump’s levies on much of the world into an opportunity to reset strained relations.
“In the spirit of constructing a mutually beneficial and positive relationship with the United States of America, under the leadership of President Trump, I will direct the Zimbabwean government to implement a suspension of all tariffs levied on goods originating from the United States,” Mnangagwa said Saturday on his official X account.
The measure will “facilitate the expansion of American imports within the Zimbabwean market, while simultaneously promoting the growth of Zimbabwean exports destined” for the US, Mnangagwa said.
Trump imposed an 18% tariff on Zimbabwe as part of his wide-ranging announcement on Wednesday. Tobacco is the southern African nation’s biggest export to the US.
The US is Zimbabwe’s 11th-largest trading partner, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Bilateral trade totalled $157 million in 2023.
Ties between Harare and Washington have largely been marked by hostility for more than two decades. The US placed Mnangagwa on the so-called Magnitsky sanctions list last year for alleged “gross abuses” after his disputed election victory in 2023.
The US says its sanctions programme in Zimbabwe targets about a dozen individuals and three entities, with American businesses free to review their interests with the country.
In a pivot away from western partners, mineral-rich Zimbabwe has strengthened trade ties with China, Russia and recently the United Arab Emirates. The UAE is Zimbabwe’s largest export partner and has helped provide a lifeline for its economy.
