Africa Would Bear Brunt of US Tariffs, Must Look to Negotiations, Analysts Say

African governments have appointed special envoys to be dispatched to Washington to negotiate with President Trump’s representatives before the July 9 deadline.

Workers perform a quality check inside the United Aryan textile factory at the Export Processing Zone in Nairobi, Kenya, on Feb. 4, 2025. Simon Maina/AFP via Getty Images

JOHANNESBURG—With reciprocal tariffs imposed by the United States expected to kick in on July 9, African governments have appointed special envoys to be dispatched to Washington to negotiate with President Donald Trump’s representatives before the deadline.

African countries, which make up the world’s poorest region, will be hit with duties as high as 50 percent if the tariffs take effect. Many will no longer be able to afford to export to the lucrative U.S. market, according to trade specialists, who said the countries should negotiate a path toward lower tariffs.