SADC ministers approve report on free trade zone

03 March 2010, Angola Press
URL: http://www.portalangop.co.ao/motix/en_us/noticias/economia/2010/2/9/SADC-ministers-approve-report-free-trade-zone,8454c9b9-6ff5-4f31-82b3-9b52101cdbbe.html

Kinshasa:  The Council of Ministers of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), over the weekend in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, approved the report on the regional integration for the consolidation of the Free Trade Zone.  Angola, DR Congo and Seychelles have not joined the convention. 

The meeting, at which Angola was represented by a delegation led by the secretary of State for Industry, Gabriel Kiala, recommended the continuation of the preparation works, with a view to the establishment of a regional customs union whose launch has been postponed. The technical group will proceed with the works related to the SDC/COMESA/EAC tripartite trade programme.

After reviewing the food security situation in the Southern Africa region, the participants recommended the member States to support agricultural research in order to contribute to the increase of production, productivity and trade.  The SADC’s Council of Minister urged the member States to establish farming banks that may facilitate credits and also approved the creation of the Southern African Development and Farming Centre (CARDESA) to be based in Gaborone (Botswana).

Likewise, the SADC Agriculture ministers were urged to conclude the process relating to the CARDESA foundation charter. 

The member States also approved the revision of the enforcement of the fees system.
 
“The global economic and financial crisis: its impact and regional integration experience” was approved as the motto for the 2010 consultative conference to take place in Maseru (Lesotho), in October this year.