05 Apr 2013

Gaborone will next week host the Summit of the Heads of State and Government of Southern African Customs Union (SACU), according to a press release from BGCIS. SACU member states are Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland.

Deputy Permanent Secretary for government communications in the Office of the President, Dr Jeff Ramsay said in the release that the summit, slated for April 12, will be preceded by a meeting of the SACU Council of Ministers on April 10 and that of the SACU Commission from April 7-9.

The SACU Council of Ministers comprised of ministers of finance and trade from each member state.

The SACU Commission, according to Dr Ramsay, consisted of senior officials at the level of permanent secreatries and director generals from each member state. The commission reports to the council of ministers.

SACU was established in 1910 with Botswana, Lesotho, South Africa and Swaziland as the founding member states, with Namibia, which had been under apartheid South Africa rule until 1990, joining after independence.

SACU objectives included facilitating cross-border movement of goods between the territories of the member states, creation of effective, transparent and democratic institutions which ensured equitable trade benefits to member states. ENDS