A country that President Donald Trump declared in his March 4 speech to Congress that “no one has heard of” has been hit by the highest US tariffs in the world. Lesotho is at the top of the list of 20 African countries that have announced what the White House calls “mutual” tariffs, which will be added to the baseline imposed on all countries.
The executive order signed yesterday lists taxation levies applied to African countries, indicating that 50% of Lesotho is Madagascar-47%. Mauritius – 40%; Botswana – 38%. Angola – 32%. Libya – 31%. and South Africa – 31%.
Trump announced full tariffs of 10% on most goods imported into the US from Saturday, with a few exceptions. The main ones are steel and aluminum goods, cars and certain customs duties. Copper, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, wood items, bullion, energy, and certain minerals not available in the United States.
On Wednesday, April 9th, higher tariffs will be enforced in 20 African countries and many other countries around the world.
Other African countries with tariffs above 10% are:
Algeria, 30%. Tunisia, 28%. Namibia and Cote Daiboir, 21%. Zimbabwe 18%. Malawi and Zambia, 17%. Mozambique 16%. Nigeria, 14%, Chad and Equatorial Guinea, 13%. Cameroon, 12%, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 11%.
The White House said the highest tariffs are being imposed on countries where the US has the largest trade deficit, with the aim of enhancing America’s manufacturing, employment and the security of the economy.
“For generations, countries have been using the United States.” In one example, “For decades, South Africa has imposed animal health restrictions on US pork products that are not scientifically justified, allowing a very limited list of US pork exports to enter South Africa.
“South Africa has also significantly restricted US poultry exports through high tariffs, anti-dumping obligations and unfair animal health restrictions. These barriers contributed to a 78% reduction in US poultry exports to South Africa, turning 2024 from $89 million in 2019 to $19 million.”
Retaliation for “health restrictions” is not limited to Africa.
For example, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick complained yesterday, “The European Union will not take chicken from America… because they don’t like our beef, our beef is beautiful and theirs is weak.” The European Union bans the import of US beef under 1989 health regulations that banned the use of growth hormone in the EU.
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The president threatened to impose even higher tariffs if trading partners retaliate with higher tariffs on imports from the United States.
He said the new tariff levels have been set at half the proportion imposed on US imports by the countries involved. However, the regime calculations for these rates are under contest in the UK media.
Listing White House claims for tariffs charged by trading partners, the Guardian includes a US rating that “currency manipulation and trade barriers” and “doesn’t necessarily match the tariffs published by relevant countries.”
US correspondent for Sky News Mark Stone said the calculations were “through highly suspicious White House arithmetic,” and the claim that Lesotho imposed US imports at 99% was a “wild claim.”
“In fact, it’s part of a Southern African trade agreement with other countries that are being collected at lower levels. The textile industry in Lesotho relies heavily on US exports. According to the World Bank, 56.2% of the population lives under $3.65 a day.
Stone added: “About half of Lesotho’s exports are diamonds. Trump’s driver is to bring the manufacturing home. Does his sledgehammer in Lesotho remind us of the Pennsylvania diamond industry?”
Tami Hultman contributed to this report.
