South Africa-eu Summit Centers On Boosting Trade And Diplomatic Ties As Both Feel Trump's Impact

Senior European Union officials were in South Africa for a summit Thursday with President Cyril Ramaphosa that center on bolstering trade and diplomatic ties as both feel the impact of the Trump administration's confrontational foreign policy.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa will meet with Ramaphosa at his Cape Town office in the first EU-South Africa summit since 2018.

The focus of the 27-nation bloc will switch to its biggest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa after the EU announced retaliatory tariffs against Washington in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's new duties on steel and aluminium .

The summit in South Africa will "explore new avenues for economic, trade and investment cooperation, as well as address any challenges and trade irritants," the European Council said.

South Africa has been singled out for sanctions by the Trump administration over some domestic and foreign policies that the U.S. leader has cast as anti-American.