Latest news with #HouseForeignAffairsCommittee
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
US applauds Pakistan's backchannel role on Iran
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies at a House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing on US President Donald Trump's State Department budget request for the Department of State, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., US, May 21, 2025. Photo: Reuters Listen to article US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has expressed appreciation for Pakistan's continued willingness to play a constructive role in mediating conversations with Iran and its commitment to preserving regional stability during a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. "The two also discussed prospects for deepening bilateral counterterrorism cooperation, including countering ISIS-K, and the upcoming US-Pakistan Counterterrorism Dialogue in Islamabad this August," the State Department said in the readout of the meeting. "The Secretary underscored the importance of expanding mutually beneficial bilateral trade and exploring prospects for enhancing collaboration in the critical minerals and mining sectors," it added. In a post on X, Dar described the meeting as "a comprehensive discussion on the full spectrum of bilateral relations," reaffirming Pakistan's commitment to a long-term partnership with the US. He said the talks included a renewed focus on economic, trade, investment, IT/AI, and counterterrorism cooperation. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the United States and Pakistan were "very close" to a trade deal that could come within days, but comments from the US after Dar met with Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned no timeline. "I think we are very close to finalising a deal with US. Our teams have been here in Washington, discussing, having virtual meetings and a committee has been tasked by the prime minister to fine-tune now," Dar said in a discussion at the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington. "It's not going to be months, not even weeks, I would say (just) days," he said. Under US President Donald Trump, Washington has attempted to renegotiate trade agreements with many countries that he threatened with tariffs over what he calls unfair trade relations. Many economists dispute Trump's characterisation. The US State Department and Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in separate statements after Rubio's meeting with Dar, said the two stressed in their discussion the importance of expanding trade and ties in critical minerals and mining. A post by Rubio on X after the meeting and the State Department's statement mentioned no timeline for finalising a trade deal. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar has underlined the need for a sustainable architecture of peace in South Asia and said the United States as a global power and a partner has a constructive and stabilising role to play. Talking about ceasefire between India and Pakistan in May 2025, he said the US emerged as the credible arbiter of peace and stability in South Asia. He thanked US President Trump for facilitating ceasefire between India and Pakistan. "We are committed to sustaining the ceasefire unlike our neighbour. We believe in peace and we never escalated as the first mover and we only acted in self-defence according to the United Nations charter," he explained. He said Pakistan's relationship with the United States was enduring, wide ranging and evolving. "It has proved to be a consequential partnership whenever the two countries converged on global issues. We are encouraged by the upward trajectory in our bilateral partnership since President Trump assumed office." He said he held a very productive meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the two sides agreed on our shared commitment to deepen and broaden relations between Pakistan and the United States. "Our nations are coming closer and we have already made progress in relations in the span of six months." He recalled that in his joint address to the Congress, President Trump recognized Pakistan's vital assistance in battling global terrorism. He said the world was changing at a rapid pace and old certainties were giving way to the new realities. Pakistan believed in peace through resilience and responsibility, he stressed adding Pakistan was a youthful nation of 240 million people, fifth largest in the world and a nuclear power. He said, "We are peace seeking and peace loving nation and stability in South Asia is vital for us and for the world." Pakistan believed in the paradigm of peace through strength and dialogue to resolve issues, he said adding Pakistan has taken tough decisions to surmount certain challenges to its economy. "We concluded the successful IMF programme in pursuit of structural and macroeconomic reforms," he apprised. "Recent improvements in macroeconomic indicators are evident by the improvement in current account balance, declining inflation and rebuilding of foreign exchange reserves," he informed. He said terrorism remained a challenge for Pakistan and the government was fighting back. "Democracy in Pakistan is not only functioning but thriving and the government is committed to human development with substantial investments in health, skill development and social protection," he noted. The DPM said. "In the realm of governance and political reform we remain committed to deepening rule of law, freedom of expression and pluralism, the values we share with the American people."
eNCA
5 days ago
- Politics
- eNCA
US lawmakers push for sanctions against ANC officials
JOHANNESBURG - The US may review its diplomatic relations with South Africa. The House Foreign Affairs Committee has approved the US-SA Bilateral Relations Review Act. It still has to be sent to the House and then Senate and be ratified by the President before it becomes law. This may still take a while with the House in recess until September. The bill also proposes sanctions on officials over alleged ties to adversaries like China, Russia, Iran and Hamas. AfriForum is welcoming the passing of the bill, while the ANC says it will not compromise its principles.
The South African
5 days ago
- Politics
- The South African
'There's no white genocide': US lawmaker pleads SA's case amid sanctions bill
US Representative Jonathan L. Jackson, during an address to the House Foreign Affairs Committee, has opposed H.R. 2633, the US-South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act of 2025 that aims to sanction South Africa and some ANC officials. On Wednesday, he said the bill 'does absolutely nothing to advance our bilateral relations with South Africa and in fact threatens to undermine it'. Jackson described the bill as 'not diplomacy' but 'coercion', based on a 'deeply fogged premise' that ignores the complexities and significant progress made together. Jackson stated that there was 'no credibility, no truth to saying white South Africans have experienced genocide'. 'Those were manufactured pictures,' he added, and emphasised the absence of a white genocide in South Africa. Jackson noted South Africa is the largest US trading partner in Africa, with over $20.5 billion (R359 billion) in two-way trade. He described South Africa as a strategic partner and a strong democracy committed to human rights. The two countries cooperate on global issues like health, climate, trade and education, Jackson added, stressing the importance of 'mutual respect' and 'respectful dialogues' to build on progress and yield benefits for both nations. Jackson warned that the proposed bill would increase tensions and undermine the progress South Africa and the US had already made. He urged Congress to allow diplomacy to 'play a central role in resolving political differences' based on international law and respect for sovereignty. He reminded the committee that the US had had relations with South Africa for less than 30 years since apartheid ended, and said South Africa had the right to an independent point of view. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Business Insider
6 days ago
- Politics
- Business Insider
South Africa faces potential sanctions as U.S. lawmakers back critical bill
South Africa faces mounting diplomatic pressure from the United States after a key congressional committee advanced a bill aimed at reassessing bilateral relations and potentially imposing sanctions. The "U.S.-South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act" was approved by the House Foreign Affairs Committee in a 34-16 vote, sending it to the full House of Representatives for consideration. The legislation reflects growing frustration among U.S. lawmakers over South Africa's foreign policy stance, particularly its perceived alignment with countries like Russia and Iran, and its criticism of Western positions on global conflicts. If passed, the bill would require the U.S. State Department to conduct a thorough review of Washington's relations with Pretoria, including trade, military cooperation, and diplomatic engagement. It could also open the door to sanctions against certain South African officials. U.S. flags BRICS, Gaza stance as South Africa's sins The bill, sighted by Reuters, proposes ' a full review of the bilateral relationship ' between the United States and South Africa and calls for the identification of South African government officials and ANC leaders ' eligible for the imposition of sanctions.' This legislative move comes as tensions between Washington and Pretoria deepen over a range of foreign policy disagreements. South Africa is currently battling to avoid a 30% tariff on its exports to the U.S., while also navigating fallout from claims of ' white genocide ', an accusation that has fueled diplomatic friction between President Donald Trump and President Cyril Ramaphosa. South Africa's strong affiliation with BRICS and its vocal support for the Palestinian cause, particularly in the ongoing Gaza conflict, have further widened the rift. Pretoria's decision to take Israel to the International Court of Justice over alleged genocide has been especially contentious in Washington. When introducing the bill in April, Republican Congressman Ronny Jackson of Texas wrote on X (formerly Twitter): ' South Africa made its choice when they abandoned America and our allies and sided with communists and terrorists. ' The bill also accuses South Africa of undermining U.S. interests by maintaining close ties with Russia and China, its fellow BRICS members, and of supporting Hamas, a designation South Africa strongly rejects. Critics of the bill argue that it threatens long-standing ties between the two countries and could undermine cooperation on security, health, and economic development. However, its supporters maintain that the U.S. must hold its partners accountable when their policies are at odds with American interests and democratic values.
eNCA
6 days ago
- Business
- eNCA
Freezing of assets on the line as US moves to sanction ANC officals
JOHANNESBURG - A US bill targeting South Africa has cleared its first legislative hurdle. The US South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act of 2025 calls for a full review of ties and possible sanctions against some ANC officials. International Relations expert Dr. Kingsley Makhubela says the sanctions could have dire consequences for those officials, including the freezing of assets held abroad and a ban on travel to the US. He says the bill would also require the US administration to re-evaluate its overall foreign policy stance toward South Africa. A key concern is the potential threat to the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a cornerstone of US-Africa trade that allows select African countries, including South Africa, preferential access to US markets with few or no tariffs to export there. AGOA is seen as crucial to driving investment. The House Foreign Affairs Committee approved the bill on Tuesday, with a majority of lawmakers on the committee objecting to South Africa's close ties with Russia and China. The committee chairman, Brian Mast, added that the ANC's direct engagement with Hamas leaders and the country's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice are further proof of worsening relations between South Africa and the US. Makhubela says it's urgent that South Africa adopts a foreign policy strategy to navigate its relationship with the US. However, internal divisions within the Government of National Unity (GNU) are making this difficult.
