Africa-Press – Angola. Angola considers the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) as a crucial factor in promoting conditions for fair and balanced competition in the Common Customs Area of Southern African countries.
This statement was made by the Permanent Representative of the Republic of Angola, to the United Nations (UN) organizations, in Geneva, Margarida Izata, during the 15th meeting to review SACU’s trade policy, which took place from the 25th to the 27th of this month, in headquarters of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
According to the Angolan diplomat, SACU, in all its actions, promotes a goal substantially focused on investment opportunities, improving economic development, diversification, industrialization, the competitiveness of Member States and the integration of this region into the Global Economy, through strengthening trade and investment.
One of these steps, said the ambassador, is the Strategic Plan 2022-2027, presented at the Geneva meeting, organized around five pillars, centered on taking advantage of the opportunities of the Continental Free Trade Area (ACFTA), to reinforce industrialization policies , exports, investment promotion, trade facilitation and logistics.
Likewise, the strengthening of commercial relations and unified involvement with third parties, finance and resource mobilization, said the person in charge.
He also stated that Angola aims to gradually but robustly increase trade with SACU member states, with the aim of promoting cooperation and mutual investment, which are crucial for the country’s economic recovery and as a means of improving sustainable development in the SADC region.
In this sense, he mentioned the great contribution that the “Lobito Corridor” could make, as an infrastructure project that connects Angola to Zambia and DRC, by rail, and which aims to facilitate access to the Port of Lobito, triggering development economic not only of the southern region, but also of the entire African continent.
Ambassador Margarida Izata also highlighted the importance of the data contained in the official SACU report and the Secretariat’s detailed report, relating to the last eight years of economic and commercial processes in the members of the Customs Union, namely the republics of Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. South, as well as the kingdoms of Eswatini and Lesotho.
The Angolan diplomat highlighted the relevance of SACU’s organizational structure, which includes effective, transparent and democratic institutions that share equitable commercial benefits, allowing the integration of this region into the Global Economy.
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She recognized SACU as an essential Organization for promoting trade and development in the Multilateral Trading System, as well as with the WTO.
The Southern African Customs Union (SACU) is one of the oldest functioning customs unions in the world and has successfully facilitated the cross-border movement of goods between Member States over the last decade.
In the context of SACU member states, Angola’s main trading partner is the Republic of South Africa, but the country also has emerging commercial activity with the Republic of Botswana, the Kingdom of Eswatini, the Kingdom of Lesotho and the Republic from Namibia.
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