South Africa's president says trade is being used as a 'weapon'

The U.S. is South Africa's partner. Trump in August imposed a on imports from South Africa after Ramaphosa's government made several unsuccessful attempts to secure a trade agreement.

"We want tariffs that President Trump is seeking to levy on us and has already started, to be reduced,” Ramaphosa told the Council on Foreign Relations in New York.

Ramaphosa likened trade to a weapon earlier in the day, in remarks delivered at the U.N. General Assembly.

"Geopolitical shocks and unprecedented trade policy volatility are destabilizing the global economy and jeopardizing a critical source of development finance," he said. "In fact, trade is now being used as a weapon against a number of countries in the world."

Ramaphosa also said the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) treaty should continue, a preferential trade deal, offering duty-free quota-free access for thousands of products for 32 African nations. Last year, AGOA did not get a vote in Congress.

Trump's return to the White House in January has further cast doubt on an extension, due to his tariff-driven trade stance.

South Africa, the continent's most industrialized economy, enjoyed the lion's share of the benefit.