In April, US President Donald Trump threatened high tariffs on imports from many trading partners. Lesotho was hit hardest with a rate of 50 percent. Finance Minister Retselisitsoe Matlanyane spoke of a “death sentence” for his country. The tariff rate was reduced to 15 percent and has been in effect since July.
The textile industry is the largest employer in Lesotho with its around 2.3 million inhabitants. The industry is heavily dependent on exports, most of which go to the USA – including jeans for well-known US brands.
The country has long benefited from the “Growth and Opportunity for Africa” (Agoa) trade agreement, which came into force in 2000. No import duties were levied on certain products from Lesotho, including textiles. The agreement ended at the end of September; It is still unclear whether the US government will extend it for a year.
The demonstrators in Maseru also demanded that their government negotiate a renewal of the Agoa agreement. Union leader Mokhele presented a petition to this effect on Friday.
According to the government, 40,000 jobs are at risk if the Agoa agreement is not extended. She declared a state of emergency in July due to rising unemployment. The unemployment rate among young people is 38 percent.
