All Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU) members have now ratified the agreement establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
A press release issued by SACU on Monday said the ratification agreement follows the republic of Botswana’s submission through President Mokgweetsi Masisi, who deposited the instruments for the ratification of the AfCFTA.
The Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Eswatini Cleopas Dlamini, who was acting in his capacity as SACU chairperson on 18 February 2023 during the 36th Ordinary Session of the African Union (AU) in Ethiopia, officially announced the finalisation of the SACU Tariff offer.
Dlamini reiterated SACU’s commitment to Africa’s integration and specifically the implementation of the AfCFTA.
“The submission of the Tariff Schedule speaks to that commitment with the view to ensure the SACU business community leverages on the benefits of AfCFTA,” the press release said.
The Tariff Order of 7111 tariff lines represents 90 per-cent of the SACU Tariff Book in line with the Agreed Modalities for Tariff Liberalisation, which was submitted to the AfCFTA Secretariat on 13 February 2023 for verification, the statement explained.
It further said the SACU Secretariat is currently working in close cooperation with the AfCFTA Secretariat to facilitate the completion of the technical verification of the offer.
“SACU anticipates that this process will be finalised soonest to facilitate the implementation of the agreement,” it said.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
