South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said that negotiations for a trade deal with the US were ongoing and voiced optimism for an agreement, without providing a clear timeframe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are looking forward to concluding an agreement fairly soon, and soon could be tomorrow, next week, next month,\u201d he told reporters in Bern on Wednesday during a state visit to Switzerland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTimeframes, when you deal with governments, always shift.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
South Africa is seeking to alleviate hefty tariffs which President Donald Trump slapped on its exports to the US in August, potentially risking thousands of jobs in the automobile and citrus fruit sectors in Africa\u2019s most industrialized economy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While the tariffs came into effect in August, this was an already delayed start date after the Trump administration hit pause on the tariffs at the start of April, giving government’s time to negotiate a better deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The end of October marks seven months of negotiation with no deal sealed for South Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ramaphosa, who was joined in the joint press conference by his Swiss counterpart Karin Keller-Sutter, said that negotiations with the US were now \u201cbased on text,\u201d which he characterized as progress toward getting an agreement nailed down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Switzerland shares a similar fate with a 39% tariff<\/a> on most of its exports to America. Despite ongoing efforts<\/a> of Swiss officials, a deal to secure a lower levy has so far proved elusive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ramaphosa was asked if he had any advice for his host in how to approach dealings with the US president, who ambushed him with false claims that his government is perpetuating a genocide against White South African farmers during a visit to the White House in May.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe share notes,\u201c Ramaphosa said. \u201cWe share best practice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the Swiss negotiations with Trump, Keller-Sutter said that while talks go on, \u201cin the end the US president decides. So maybe it just needs some more patience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Switzerland and South Africa earlier reaffirmed their intention to advance negotiations on modernising an existing free-trade agreement between the Southern African Customs Union and the European Free Trade Association, according to a statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe are hoping for rapid progress,\u201d Keller-Sutter told the reporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n