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South Africa


S.Africa sugar producers hopeful of EU trade deal
Durban-based Illovo Sugar — Africa’s biggest producer, majority-owned by British Sugar — said it plans to raise output by 50 percent to nearly 3 million tonnes in the next five years to cash in on the new tariff-free EU access.
S.Africa farmers want land in Zimbabwe investment pact
While Agri SA has been leading a push for South African farmers to invest and farm in a number of other countries across Africa, including the Republic of Congo, Libya and Zambia, the union has urged its members to stay away from countries where South Africa has no investment protection agreements.
Zim-SA bilateral agreement doomed
The Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA) between Zimbabwe and South Africa, initially scheduled for signing in April and later deferred to June, is headed for total collapse as the two parties have failed to agree on the wording of Article 11 of the agreement.
SACU busy with painful discussions, says Manuel
The Southern African Customs Union (SACU) is having very painful discussions at the moment in Swaziland on its very future, said Minister in the Presidency for National Planning, Trevor Manuel.
S.Africa, EU sign trade deal, to bridge Doha gaps
South Africa and the European Union on Friday signed an amended trade, development and co-operation agreement and also pledged to intensify work to bridge gaps preventing conclusion of Doha trade talks.
SA to state objections to trade treaties
SA is expected to reiterate its objections to the economic partnership agreements signed between the European Union (EU) and three members of the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu), which it believes will have disruptive effects, at a summit in Kleinmond on Friday.
Krishna to leave for Brazil on Sunday
Foreign minister S M Krishna will be pay an official visit to Brazil from August 30 to September 1 for co-chairing the 4th India-Brazil Joint Commission Meeting and also for participating in the sixth IBSA Trilateral Commission meeting.
Economic pact with EU causes discord among Sadc members
One of the underlying principles of the Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and the Southern African Development Community is that it should complement and support regional integration initiatives. However, the signing of the Interim EPA by some member states, and not by others, has generated uncertainty within the region.
South African trade department critical of approach taken to BIT-making
A position paper published by the Government of South Africa takes a critical posture towards the country’s bilateral investment treaties (BITs).
EU says SA ‘bullying’ neighbours
It seems the problems emanating from the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) are far from over, as SA and EU have started exchanging strong ‘words’.
’South Africa has no right’
South Africa has no right to enforce ’punishment’ on the other Southern African Customs Union members for signing an interim economic partnership agreement with the European Union, an economist says.
Thailand presses SA for free trade deal
Thailand is eager to engage SA on a fully fledged free trade agreement (FTA) with the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu).
Don’t sign EPAs - COSATU urges Namibia
THE Congress of South African Trade Unions has urged Namibia to follow South Africa and Angola’s footsteps in refusing to sign the much-debated Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union, alleging that the purported agreement has a ‘hidden’ agenda.
COSATU calls for rejection of EU-SADC Partnership Agreement
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is celebrating the rejection of European Union-SADC Interim Economic Partnership Agreement (IEPA) negotiations by the governments of South Africa and Angola and is mobilising for a political intervention in the whole agreement negotiations.
Zim balks from treaty with SA
A bilateral investment treaty between Zimbabwe and South Africa could not be signed last week after Harare requested more details on the accord before it could commit itself, Industry Minister Welshman Ncube said.
Look to Brasilia, Not Beijing
Threats to the global liberal order are usually identified with illiberal states. That’s why China, with its repressive domestic regime and its see-no-evil (unless related to the United States) foreign policy attracts so much attention these days.
SA may be excluded from EU partner deal
The European Union is likely to move towards the official signing of an interim economic partnership agreement, known as an EPA, with countries of the Southern African Development Community that will exclude South Africa.
Sustaining global solidarity after Gaza
In South America, serious pressure is building against the Israel-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement (FTA), threatening to derail it entirely. South American social movements, who have years of experience fighting against free trade, have integrated Palestine solidarity into their general work.
EU Trade Commissioner pushes for economic integration with African nations
EU Trade Commissioner Catherine Ashton visited several nations in Southern Africa last week, where she held talks with key governmental leaders. Although the general purpose of the trip was to promote bilateral and regional trade relations, Ashton also hoped to make progress on a potential Economic Partnership Agreement, or EPA, between members of the South African Development Community (SADC) and the European Union.
Kenya-S.Africa to enhance trade relations
There is need to address the prevailing trade imbalance between Kenya and South Africa in order to enhance trade relations between the two countries Trade Permanent Secretary Dr (Eng) Cyrus Njiru has said.