Lesotho is seeking new textile buyers in Asia and other markets after being hit by tariff uncertainty under U.S. President Donald Trump.
The landlocked nation has already secured business from neighboring South Africa, with the Southern African Customs Union, which also includes Botswana, Eswatini, and Namibia, emerging as a key market, Bloomberg reported.
Following a three-month pause, U.S. tariffs were reduced to 15%.
While an improvement, “it is not good enough for our textile industry,” Trade Minister Mokhethi Shelile said, warning that buyers could turn to competitors such as Eswatini and Kenya, where goods face only 10% duties.
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Last month, Lesotho a lower-middle-income country, declared a national state of disaster in response to the severe economic impact of the newly imposed U.S. tariffs.
Textiles remain its largest private employer, with 12,000 direct and 40,000 indirect jobs, supplying major U.S. buyers including Walmart, JCPenney, and Levi Strauss.
The government is pressing for tariffs of 10% or less and hopes for additional talks with the U.S. Trade Representative as it works to diversify beyond its main export destination.
South Africa is also looking for alternative buyers. Facing one of the world’s highest levies at 30%, it too is seeking new markets to sustain exports.
South African Trade Minister Parks Tau described the tariff escalation as a direct threat to key export-driven sectors including automotive manufacturing, agro-processing, steel, and chemicals.
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Image Credit: Business Insider Africa
