Background:
The Southern African Customs Union (SACU) has recently undergone a World Trade Organisation (WTO) Trade Policy Review. This review presents an opportunity for WTO member states to consider the trade policy developments in the customs union, as well as the SACU member states. These developments offered an opportunity to consider SACU developments, legal and institutional developments and possible future scenarios.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is currently emphasising an industrial development agenda supported by a revised Regional Indicative Strategic Development Plan (RISDP). The full implementation of the SADC Free Trade Area remains essential for regional industrial development and diversification. Much progress has been made, but there is still work to make the FTA work effectively.
In June 2015, the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) was launched; despite the fact that key elements of the FTA have not been concluded. Negotiations are continuing. Also in June the negotiations for the Continental Free Trade Area (CFTA) were launched. These negotiations are due to begin in 2016 and will be conducted in two phases. Phase one will focus in trade in goods and trade in services; with negotiations for these two areas of substantive issues to be conducted along separate tracks.
Specific implications for Namibia were discussed by the audience, who were experts from the Ministries of Trade and Finance, Namibia Agricultural Union, Namibia Trade Forum, Agricultural Trade Forum, academics and other key personalities from the field and the two experts from tralac Trudi Hartzenberg and Prof. Gerhard Erasmus on the following topics:
- Regional Update SACU matters; SADC: priority pivot towards industrial development
- TFTA and CFTA: Status Update
- Challenges from the Tripartite FTA (TFTA) & Continental FTA (CFTA)
- SACU: What Scenarios and what Prospects?
By Stefanie Braun
