Bangladesh, Jan. 14 -- South Africa has welcomed a move by the United States Congress to extend a key trade preference program for African countries, describing it as an important source of short-term relief for exporters facing higher costs amid new US tariffs. The development comes at a time of strained political relations between Pretoria and Washington, underscoring the continued economic interdependence between Africas most industrialized economy and the worlds largest consumer market.

At the center of the debate is the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a flagship US trade initiative enacted in 2000 that grants duty-free access to the American market for thousands of products from eligible sub-Saharan African countries. For...