Can he remedy South Africa’s relations with the US?

South Africa’s president has faced tough problems earlier – he was the main negotiator of the African National Congress of African African Mandela (Anc) during the negotiations to end the White Minority Rules in the early 1990s – but his future meeting at the White House will require all his charm.

Cyril Ramaphos wants to remedy the broken relations with the US – and his famous negotiating skills will be held at the test when he tries to defeat the most powerful world leader.

US President Donald Trump and his team are uncharacteristic about the trip, and the White House press -secretary Carolyn Levit refused to submit any details – or even publicly admit that the visit is going on.

“Trade relationships are the most important thing – that’s what brought us here,” Ramaphos said in Washington on Tuesday. “We want to get out of the United States with a really good trading deal. We want to strengthen this relationship and want to consolidate good relations between our two countries.”

Both have been in loggerheads for months, and Trump has repeatedly insisted that the African -African African Community faced “genocide” – a lawsuit, reinforced by his close advisor Elon Musk, a native of South African technology, though, although a billionaire born It was widely discredited.

The voltage intensified a few days after Trump took over the second term in January when President Ramaphos signed into law by a contradictory bill By allowing the South African government to expose land in private property without compensation, if it is considered “fair interest”.

This only served to tarnish the image of the largest economy in Africa in the eyes of Trump’s administration – already Angered by its genocidal affairs against Israel In the International Court (CU).

In February, the US president announced the suspension of critical assistance to South Africa and suggested helping members of the African community who are mostly white descendants of early Dutch and French settlers to settle in the US as “refugees”.

Ambassador South Africa in Washington, Ebrah Rasol, was also expelled in March Following Trump’s accusation of “mobilization” and an attempt to “design a white sacrifice as a dog whistle.”

US Secretary of State Mark Rubio said Rasouol was a “politician to combat the race”, which “no longer welcomed in our big country”.

The arrival of the first African group in the US last week Next lit up the situationWhen Trump doubled again on his claims that white farmers were “tough” and their “land was confiscated”, the South Africa government repeatedly denied.

According to South African political analyst Antoni Van Nievkek, Ramaphos’ decision to pass the White House “high risk strategy”, especially given the recent tough position of Trump.

Professor Van Nievkek forecasts two probable scenarios that are played out – the first sees “pleasant and heartfelt” interaction and reset that South Africa seeks “when rational minds prevail and when many homework has been done” on both sides.

But he warns that he must “emotional mind prevail”, and the focus is on white genocide claims, everything can quickly unravel.

“If the South African delegation cannot convince the Trump administration of South Africa to carry out its own choice of policy domestically and internationally … Then Trump will use an oval office moment to humiliate Ramapho and read it with the riot law,” said the Academic University of South Africa.

“This second scenario is not what we want.”

He hopes that the South Africa delegation came to the United States with an “attractive proposal”, adding: “Negotiations cannot start in the oval office in front of the cameras.

“This live moment should be the conclusion of the negotiations that were supposed earlier.”

According to him, in South Africa, there is ace in the sleeve: Ramaphos, known for its negotiation skills and warmth.

He knows what buttons press – and find common ground over golf, can become the scope he takes. A 72-year-old man has already invited the US leader to a friendly golf round during the G20 summit in South Africa in November- and included two professional golmonists in his entourage in Washington: Ernie Els and Retieph Geese.

“Let it be people like Cyril Ramaphos or not, we must admit that he was one of the key players in the transition from apartheid to democracy. He did it from his personality and style,” said Professor Van Nievkek.

Dr. Lubna Nadzvo, a political analyst based at the South African University of Quasul, agrees that the President of South Africa has a person to “cope with the situation when everything comes out of hand.”

“I suppose that this meeting will face the face to strengthen the relationship so that the facts are located on the table,” she said, adding that the “propaganda” that influenced Trump will need to be fought.

It was important for the Ramaphos team to force the United States “to accept that South Africa is a sovereign country and has the right to make the decisions he wants to make,” D -Ninwwa said.

Ramaphos’s press -secretary Vincent Magveni said the BBC that the trip “would lead to the movement of the process against the normalization of diplomatic relations” and “put the basis” to improve trade relations.

Considering that everything was confirmed in the shortest possible time, the South African delegation – which includes four older ministers of the cabinet – had little time to create an “official program,” he said.

But he suggested that it would probably focus on expanding the African growth and capabilities (AGO), 25-year US legislation that guarantees free access to US consumers for certain African goods.

South Africa is one of AGO’s largest exporters, which brings about 2.7 billion dollars (2 billion pounds) profits in 2023, mainly from the sale of vehicles, jewelry and metals.

Have concern, the deal may not recover If this goes out for review at the end of this year or what if it is, South Africa can be excluded from the new agreement.

“In the absence of this continuation or expansion of AGEA, we are ready to interact with the Trump administration over the new trade relations, which, in our opinion, will be mutually profitable,” said Mr. Magwni.

As for the relationship between Pretoria and Washington, he said South Africa hopes to hold a “sincere, constructive discussion about them.”

Interestingly, Agriculture Minister John Stunhuisen is part of the delegation. His democratic alliance is part of the South African coalition government and was a vocal critic of the Anc enlargement policies, saying that they lead to maple and corruption. Anc denies it.

Speaking about the case of the CU in which South Africa has accused Israel in December 2023 of committing genocide against Palestinians living in Gaza – the accusation of Israel refused – Mr. Magwnia admitted that he “may” lead to a reliable discussion. “

“CPA, we cannot respond with this issue (and IT) to remain in the dispute.

“However, against the humanitarian crisis and its relief, there is an agreement with President Trump, and we will focus more on what we can do together in the areas where we agree.”

On Friday, Trump acknowledged that “a lot of people are starving” in Gaza after a recent blockade of humanitarian materials to the territory – the comments that led to the “major amount of food” that was included in the gas.

Magwenya also suggested that South Africa would not head to the begging for Wednesday.

“How much South Africa requires access to one of the largest markets … The United States needs certain products and goods from South Africa.”

Currently, South Africa exports various minerals to the US, including platinum, iron and manganese, as well as precious stones, metals and fruits.

Professor Van Nievkek also made him a “gerathothegic place”, also made it “attractive”.

Analyst, painting the worst scenario, said: “There are players who would like us to see us fell, and then joined and … display the role in Africa. This is the price we will pay when the oval office is wrong.”

But Mr. Magnev was in pain to explain the meeting of the White House, there was no “sprint” before the decision.

“What it represents is the beginning of the process in solving modern deadlocks and normalization of diplomatic relations,” he said.

“Whether this meeting will be a negative or positive result, however, it will be the main opportunity for us to start normalizing relations.”

Additional BBC BNDD Debusmann JR report in Washington.