Africa-Press – Angola. The Angolan government announced that it will finish liberalizing the Customs Tariff by December as part of its integration into the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Free Trade Area.
The information was disclosed by Anatódio Domingos Mikotene, the national director for integration and economic development at the Ministry of Industry and Trade, on the sidelines of a training program on SADC rules of origin and support for electronic certificates of origin being held from October 27 to 31 in Luanda.
Although Angola was admitted to the Common Market of the Southern African Development Community Free Trade Area in June, prerequisites such as updating the Customs Tariff — which involves progressively eliminating tariffs and quotas for most commercial goods between members — must be completed.
Mikotene said the document’s completion and proper liberalization is set for December.
“The Customs Tariff has columns. One column represents relations with the rest of the world; another, with the African Union. The tariff is a legally binding instrument. Therefore, the publication of our offer must follow the same procedure and be approved by legislation or a presidential decree,” said Mikonete.
Regarding sensitive products, the Angolan official said there are special agreements for specific products.
“There is an agreement on sugar that allows certain surplus-holding countries to export to the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) without paying tariffs, within agreed limits,” he explained.
The training program is aimed at technicians from the Ministry of Industry and Trade, as well as senior SADC officials. The meeting began Monday and ends next Friday.
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