WINDHOEK, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Namibia on Tuesday called on the United States to adhere to international trade rules and engage transparently with affected countries following Washington's decision to impose new tariffs on imports, including from Namibia.
Speaking to lawmakers, Minister of International Relations and Trade Selma Ashipala-Musavyi said the U.S. acted unilaterally when it introduced a new tariff regime via executive order 14257 on April 2. The policy includes a 21 percent "reciprocal tariff" on Namibian exports to the United States, set to take effect on April 9.
She noted that there had been no consultation or prior engagement with Namibia before the decision was made, which she argued contradicts the principles of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
"This unilateral action contradicts the principles of the multilateral trading system, which emphasizes transparency and prior engagements before members enact decisions that may impact other WTO members," Ashipala-Musavyi said.
The minister warned that such unilateral trade measures could violate WTO rules and undermine the multilateral system, potentially harming smaller economies like Namibia.
She said Namibia would continue to advocate for a rules-based multilateral trading system and would closely monitor the situation through its diplomatic missions.
Ashipala-Musavyi also confirmed that Namibia would engage regional bodies such as the Southern African Customs Union to assess the broader implications and consider a coordinated response.
Namibia is also seeking clarification from the U.S. government on how the new tariff policy aligns with existing trade arrangements, including the African Growth and Opportunity Act.
