Questions raised over commitment of SADC

SADC HEADS of state reaffirmed their goal of creating a free trade area by 2008 and a customs union by 2010 at the recent summit in Maseru, Lesotho. Delegates also committed to the rationalisation of multiple memberships of regional trade arrangements as well as empowering the secretariat to better monitor and enforce the implementation of SADC protocols. The Finance and Investment Protocol outlining the process of macroeconomic convergence was also signed by most of the member states. But despite the political will expressed by delegates, a number of serious problems remain, in the view of Trade Law Association (Tralac) researcher Gus Mandigora. “Tariff liberalisation by member states has been criticised as being erratic and non-transparent while the restrictive rules-of-origin continue to undermine trade liberalisation in general,” he comments. “The level of implementation of various other protocols is difficult to monitor and the multiple memberships of regional trade arrangements continue to divide the resources and political allegiances of the member states. In addition to this, the disparity between different members’ economic fundamentals threatens to undermine the entire integration process.” He questions whether this recent summit will add any impetus to the SADC’s integration drive or whether the problems will continue to undermine the organisation’s ideals.