REMARKS BY HON. MINISTER MAJOZI SITHOLE TO THE 27TH SACU COUNCIL MEETING HELD AT HAPPY VALLEY HOTEL, EZULWINI
Chairperson, it is a great pleasure for me to officially welcome you all colleagues, to Swaziland on this occasion of the 27th Council Meeting. I further welcome all the senior officials present here who have been here since the beginning of the week. I hope the facilities that we have arranged for this meeting have met your expectations.
Chairperson, I view your being here as a homecoming, for indeed Swaziland is your home away from home.
Chairperson, you could not have chosen a better time to come to Swaziland than during this spring season, when our greenery is beginning to take shape and the flowers beginning to blossom following the first rains. I hope you will find time colleagues in your busy schedule to enjoy the scenery and hospitality in Swaziland.
Chairperson, I would like to congratulate you for Botswana’s assumption of the chairmanship of SACU. I have full confidence in your chairmanship that you will successfully take all the SACU programme forward during your term in office. Chairperson, our delegation would liketo pledge their support to you as you perform your duties as the chair of SACU.
During Swaziland’s tenure in office important milestones were achieved in a number of key areas. With regards to the review of the revenue sharing formula, commissions continues to oversee the development of options on a new revenue sharing arrangement.
With regard to the established of SACU institutions, work continues aimed at the institutionalisation of the SACU Summit and the establishment of the Tribunal and the Tariff board. During my tenure, SACU also made substantial progress to finalize work on the Common Negotiating Mechanism.
Another area identified by Summit which we have been working during my tenure in office is the development of the Industrial Development Policy. There has however been slow progress in this area due to sharp differences amongst Member States.
In the area of trade facilitation, substantial progress has been made in implementing the Action Plan for this programme. A regional customs policy document was adopted by the council and implementation of the SACU-WCO customs development programme continues.
With regard to the Unified Engagement in Trade Negotiations, SACU has achieved significant progress under the EPA negotiations, negotiations with USA and India; and with respect to the already implemented SACU-EPA, FTA. The year under review also witnessed the launch of the negotiations toward the COMESA/EAC/SADC Tripartite Free Trade Area(TFTA).
The request by the Permanent Court of Arbitration is one of the issues that I hope will be finalised in this council meeting today.
I am happy to inform you that there has been some progress with regard to the SACU headquarters building project following the approval of the final tender.
The issue of the inclusion of trade in services in the SACU work programme will warrant your attention during your tenure in office. Trade in services was originally identified as a priority by the summit, however, it was not included in the five priority areas that underpin the current SACU work programme. At the recent commission meeting, Trade in services was discussed and council will be required to consider the inclusion of trade in services as a sixth priority in the current SACU work programme.
During the year SACU hosted a Centenary Regional Conference which was attended by a myriad of participants from the private sector. One of the key highlights emanating from the conference was a recommendation to establish a private sector forum. Work is underway aimed at making this a reality.
Chairperson, may I now join you in extending a special welcome to the new Ministers from the Kingdom of Lesotho. We further congratulate the Kingdom of Lesotho for successfully hosting their elections.
Chairperson, this meeting takes place on the backdrop of the world economic uncertainty that has affected global recovery. It is my hope that the unfavourable economic conditions in the EU will quickly be resolved before the adverse effects are spilled over to the rest of the world particularly SACU.
Chairperson, this council meeting takes place immediately after the SACU ministerial retreat which was successfully hosted by the Republic of Namibia. I am glad Chairperson that this retreat indeed gave us an opportunity to engage in frank and constructive discussions. During the retreat we were able to appreciate each other’s take on the issues affecting SACU.
Chairperson, we hope that the development of the SACU Industrial Policy and its emphasis on value chains will assist us in achieving some of the outcomes of the retreat. This is particularly important for Swaziland at this time as you know that Swaziland has been having a low economic growth coupled with some fiscal challenges. While the situation has improved, a long term solution to these challenges we have been facing is to grow our industries which we are confident that it would lead to positive economic spin offs that would reduce our reliance on SACU receipts.
In conclusion Chairperson, I hope this meeting will formalise the decisions taken at the Retreat, which are meant not only to enhance our cooperation in SACU but also ensure equitable distribution of the benefits of our cooperation.
Chairperson, may I once again welcome you, all my colleagues and all delegates and wish them fruitful deliberations as well as a good stay in Swaziland.
THANK YOU