By Lesedi Sibiya-Diplomatic Insider

Relations between the United States and South Africa have made a positive turn in the past week. According to Economic Reports South Africa’s economic growth rate will exceed 1% for the first time in recent years, and to solidify South Africa’s economic promise, the country has been taken off the Grey List.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is intending to appoint Dr Alistair Ruiters to be the new South African ambassador to the United States, which was vacant after United States President Donald Trump expelled the previous ambassador Ebrahim Rasool in March, after Rasool made comments at a webinar against the Trump administration and was deemed persona non grata.

 Ruiters is an experienced Trade Diplomat and has an exceeding background in investment promotion. Although the United States is South Africa’s biggest trade partner after China, South Africa has never had anyone with Ruiters’ experience among South Africa’s previous emissaries to the US.

 Ruiters has also been the Department of Trade and Industry’s chief negotiator with the United States, and will have to be brought up to speed on Political Diplomacy, in order for the two countries to successfully reach an equilibrium amongst one another.

 Leo Brent Bozel III ,who is the US ambassador to South Africa, gave testimony at his hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and explained these political factors before the committee.

 His testimony echoes the Trump Administration’s qualms with South Africa which involve the International Court of Justice (ICJ) case that South Africa has against Israel as well South Africa’s military/naval exercises in China, Iran, Russia; the white genocide claims against South Africa earlier in the year, as well South Africa’s membership of BRICS which is said to undermine the global economic hegemony of the United States.

 Bozel also mentioned South Africa’s issues with corruption had weakened governance and stifled economic growth for the country.

Bozel however championed US investment in critical minerals and rare earths processing that are a necessity for job creation in South Africa as well as providing security for supply chains which are currently dominated by China.

Meanwhile U.S President Donald Trump has held a meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea as they have put an end to their dispute over rare earths supply as Trump also stated that he will be visiting China in April.

Although Xi Jinping has not offered any comments regarding the meeting between him and the United States President he noted that the economic and trade teams on both sides left the meeting on a positive note.

Trump has also lowered the tariffs on China by 10% which China was also willing to do to suspend export controls.