The Southern African Customs Union’s (SACU) Eighth Summit is taking place in Ezulwini in the Kingdom of Eswatini next week to review the progress made on the implementation of the SACU Strategic Plan.

It will be hosted by the chairperson of the SACU Summit, Eswatini’s King Mswati III, on 29 June and will be attended by Heads of State or Representatives from Eswatini, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, and the Kingdom of Lesotho.

The SACU Strategic Plan is in effect from 2022 to 2027 and has pillars that aim to prioritise industrialisation through the development of regional value chains, attract investment and promote export, facilitate trade and logistics, and mobilise finances and resources, amongst others.

“Further, the pillars themselves are underpinned by a set of cross-cutting issues, comprising governance and accountability and institutional arrangements, that will ensure that the necessary conditions are in place to facilitate the SACU Region’s implementation of the strategic plan,” the SACU Strategic Plan reads.

Preceding the summit will be the meetings of the SACU institutions, namely the 70th Meeting of the Finance and Audit Committee, the 72nd Meeting of the SACU Commission on 24 and 25 June, and the 49th Meeting of the SACU Council of Ministers on 27 and 28 June.

Christine ?Hoebes, the Namibian Minister of Presidential Affairs, said President Hage Geingob received the invitation on Tuesday and has not yet confirmed his attendance.

Source: Namibia Press Agency