13 Feb 2019

Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Ms Bogolo Kenewendo will attend the EU-SADC Economic Partnership Agreement (EU-SADC EPA) First Joint Council meeting on Tuesday in Cape Town, South Africa.

A press release from the ministry says the meeting will be preceded by a SADC/EPA ministerial preparatory meeting on Monday.

It says in a bid to fast-track implementation of EPA, the inaugural Joint Council, as provided for in the agreement, is expected to consider and adopt EPA implementation institutional issues, including; rules of procedure for the joint council, rules of the trade and development committee, rules of procedure for the EU-SADC EPA dispute settlement body and code of conduct for arbitrators and mediators.

“The participation of the minister is critical to advance the national and the regional position to ensure that the agreement delivers on its intended objectives,” reads the release.

It states that the minister will be accompanied by senior officials and technical officers from the ministry, as well as from the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Food Security and the Botswana Unified Revenue Services.

The minister is expected back home on Wednesday.