Lesotho garment workers are facing uncertainty after the US imposed 50% tariffs on the country’s exports. The tariff, which is due to come into force on April 9, targets clothing and other goods that were previously exempt from duties under a continent-wide trade agreement known as Agoa.
The move has sparked concerns among workers who rely heavily on garment production for their livelihoods. Lesotho exported $237m of goods to the US last year, with most of it being clothing. The tariffs will significantly increase the cost of production, making it difficult for companies to compete.
“This is a disaster for our country,” said Makhotso Moeti, a garment worker who attaches labels to Gap clothing. “If the factories shut down, I won’t have many options left. I’ll be forced to return home to the very poverty I thought I had escaped when I moved to the city.”
Economists have criticized the tariff calculation, which penalizes countries with high trade surpluses relative to their imports from the US. Lesotho’s trade minister said that officials had planned to ask for an extension of Agoa, but the US has instead introduced its own tariffs.
The future of Agoa, which will expire in September if not renewed by the US Congress, is now uncertain. Lesotho’s garment workers are among those who will be most affected by the change.
With China having overtaken Western countries as the largest trading partner for many African nations, the impact of US tariffs on Africa’s economy is already being felt. The move has sparked concerns about job losses and economic instability in countries such as Madagascar and Botswana, which have also been hit with tariffs.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/apr/04/lesotho-garment-workers-reel-trump-tariffs