Kenya-South Africa trade row puts tea tariff deal at risk

Barely a month after South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Kenyan counterpart William Ruto shook hands on a June agreement to drop tariffs on Kenyan tea exports to South Africa, Kenya imposed a 30% timber duty that hit South African exports.

In keeping with the principle of reciprocity under the AfCFTA, South Africa had to call a halt to duty-free imports of Kenyan tea.