Lesotho under US tariff pressure: state of national disaster declared

Faced with the economic threat, Lesotho declares a state of national disaster. At issue: Donald Trump’s tariff policy, which calls for 50% tariffs on the country’s exports, including clothing to the United States.

Lesotho, a small landlocked state in southern Africa, depends heavily on its textile exports to the United States, its second-largest trading partner. In this sector alone, nearly 40,000 jobs are currently under threat, representing over 5% of the population.

The future of AGOA, the preferential trade agreement between the United States and several African countries, is at the heart of concerns. Its **non-renewal in September would plunge the economy further into the red.

With unemployment at 30%, and **almost 50% among young people, the situation is becoming explosive. The state of economic emergency will enable the government to **redirect resources towards training and employment, but the room for manoeuvre remains limited.

Against the backdrop of an increasingly uncertain global context, this tariff tug-of-war illustrates the vulnerability of African economies, which are highly dependent on bilateral trade preferences.

source: Africa news