US tariff war has rattled global commerce but Africa's trade remains resilient, says WTO chief

DESPITE deep ruptures in the global trading system caused by sweeping US tariffs and escalating geopolitical tensions, Africa's trade has remained far more resilient than many feared.

- SIPHELELE DLUDLA

That was the message from World Trade Organization (WTO) director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who said the continent has been insulated from the worst impacts of the tariff battles reshaping economic relations among major powers.

Speaking on the sidelines of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg on Sunday, Okonjo-Iweala acknowledged that the United States’ aggressive tariff actions, including high unilateral duties and a growing number of bilateral trade deals outside the WTO, have disrupted global commerce.

But despite the turmoil, she said the global system has held together more than expected — and Africa, in particular, has not suffered the kind of trade contraction that many predicted.