All tariffs on trade between members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) should be abolished by 2012 under a proposed free trade area, the organisation’s interim executive secretary, Prega Ramsamy, said in Maputo on Wednesday.
He told a press briefing, during the second SADC/USA forum, that the SADC Trade Protocol “is on a good track”. The protocol took effect 25 January, and the free trade area will be launched 1 September. Ten SADC members have ratified the protocol. Four others - Zambia, Angola, Congo and Seychelles - are yet to ratify.
Ramsamy said that in 2004 or 2005, a review meeting would be held “to see if we can bring forward total liberalisation.” He said that the free trade area would be a “win-win” situation “despite short term disadvantages for some SADC members”.
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