Zimbabwe leads the world in tariff abolishment after Trump's announcement

The decision comes just days after US President Donald Trump introduced higher tariffs on exports from almost every country.

Under Trump’s new rules, countries like Lesotho and Zimbabwe were hit with heavy duties.

Lesotho saw a 50% tariff, while Zimbabwe was given 18%. Many countries, including Canada, China and the European Union, responded by raising their own tariffs on American goods.

Following this, Zimbabwe’s president, Emmerson Mnangagwa announced that all tariffs on US imports would be dropped.

In a post on social media platform X, he said, “In the spirit of constructing a mutually beneficial and positive relationship with the United States of America, under the leadership of President Trump, I will direct the Zimbabwean government to implement a suspension of all tariffs levied on goods originating from the United States.”

This means US goods will now enter Zimbabwe without paying any extra tax at the border. However, this surprise move has raised serious questions.

Zimbabwe is part of the World Trade Organization (WTO), which says countries must treat all trading partners fairly.

That means Zimbabwe cannot give special treatment to the US unless it offers the same to every other WTO member. This rule is meant to stop countries from favouring certain partners.

The move could upset Zimbabwe’s trade with countries like China and South Africa, who might now demand similar treatment. It could also put Zimbabwe at odds with African trade groups such as the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Some experts worry that Zimbabwe’s factories and local businesses could suffer. US products might be cheaper and outcompete Zimbabwean goods, hurting the country’s economy and costing local jobs.

The government could also lose a lot of money. Tariffs bring in cash for the state, and dropping them could create a budget gap.

Zimbabwe might need to raise other taxes to make up for the lost income.