Search
  1. Home
  2. Africa
  3. Southern Africa

Free trade on track

    JOHANNESBURG

    South African President Thabo Mbeki said yesterday that Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders were determined to introduce a free trade area to boost trade and regional
    integration, news reports said.

    He told the World Economic Forum southern African summit meeting in Durban that "SADC Trade Ministers will meet in a week's time to consider the matter." He added: "We are convinced that our parliament will ratify the SADC Free Trade Protocol in time for implementation by 1 January, 2000."

    The three-day Durban meeting is to discuss trade, investment, political stability and regional development issues. It has attracted high-level delegations from SADC members, the United States, Europe and Nigeria.

    Mbeki added that South Africa is also to unveil a five-year integrated development plan for the sub-region. The programme, to be presented to SADC leaders, would cover economic infrastructure, human resources and entrepreneurial development, the South Africa's 'Business Day' reported.

    It was being drawn up in response to the World Bank's desire to work more closely with regional strategies, the newspaper said.

    Mbeki told the Durban meeting that the plan had taken longer than expected to prepare, but would be delivered as soon as possible.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

    Share this article

    Our ability to deliver compelling, field-based reporting on humanitarian crises rests on a few key principles: deep expertise, an unwavering commitment to amplifying affected voices, and a belief in the power of independent journalism to drive real change.

    We need your help to sustain and expand our work. Your donation will support our unique approach to journalism, helping fund everything from field-based investigations to the innovative storytelling that ensures marginalised voices are heard.

    Please consider joining our membership programme. Together, we can continue to make a meaningful impact on how the world responds to crises.

    Become a member of The New Humanitarian

    Support our journalism and become more involved in our community. Help us deliver informative, accessible, independent journalism that you can trust and provides accountability to the millions of people affected by crises worldwide.

    Join