SACU Summit next week

WINDHOEK, 21 JUN  – Heads of State and representatives of Southern African Customs Union (SACU) member states will converge on Botswana on 29 June 2018 for the sixth SACU Summit.
A media release by the SACU Secretariat here Wednesday stated that the event will be hosted by Botswana President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi in the nation’s capital, Gaborone.
Masisi is current SACU chairperson.
The summit will consider progress being made on the implementation of the Ministerial Work Programme, which was approved by the SACU Council of Ministers and endorsed by the summit in June 2017.
This Work Programme was developed following introspection of SACU’s relevance and as an organisation that supports the economies of its member states by the Council of Ministers at their third retreat held in June 2016.
The key activities and focus areas of the Work Programme include the review and development of a suitable architecture on tariff-setting and application of tariffs, rebates, refunds or duty drawbacks and trade remedies.
Strengthening existing cooperation and collaboration on trade facilitation to improve border efficiencies and the review of the Revenue Sharing Formula will also form part of discussions.
The summit will be preceded by meetings of SACU institutions such as the Task Teams of Senior Officials on Trade and Industry and on Finance; Finance and Audit Committee; SACU Commission; and 35th Meeting of the SACU Council of Ministers.
SACU member countries are Botswana, Kingdom of Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia and South Africa.
(NAMPA)