Goods manufactured in Lesotho are once again eligible for duty-free entry into the United States following the expiration of Washington's temporary 10% global tariff on 29 July.
The removal of the broad-based levy provides immediate relief to Lesotho's export-dependent garment industry, which had faced margin compression and operational uncertainty under the trade barrier.
Thousands of workers in the sector, which is a cornerstone of the country's economy, can now resume operations without the added cost burden that threatened competitiveness in the US market.
The expiration marks a significant shift in the trade landscape for Southern African exporters.
While the global tariff has lapsed, the United States has not retreated from its protectionist stance.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer recently confirmed the extension of targeted tariffs on imports from 60 specific economies, effectively neutralizing the expiration of previous measures for those jurisdictions.