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South Africa

Africa: Dangote Group calls for ports’ reforms to enhance AfCFTA
7-Dec-2021 All Africa
The Commercial Operations Officer, Dangote Group, yesterday called for the reform at ports in Africa as well as the ease of regulations and bureaucracy, in order to realise benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement.
ARSO, AfCFTA Secretariat sign MoU to drive ambitious free trade agreement
2-Dec-2021 Joy Online
The African Organisation for Standardisation and the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the implementation of the AfCFTA agreement.
Africa’s economic trade-off
2-Nov-2021 IPS
Africa’s new free trade area could transform the continent’s economy. But without strong social protections, it may result in more precarious work.
SADC countries unhappy with major new framework for relations with the EU
2-Nov-2021 Daily Maverick
Southern African countries have rattled the European Union by indicating they might reopen negotiations on a major new, long-range framework for relations between Europe and developing countries that has already been accepted by all sides.
SACU and South America to deepen trade relations
2-Nov-2021 New Era Live
Officials from the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU) and the South American-based Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) have reaffirmed their commitment to the full implementation of the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA).
What EU’s farm-to-fork strategy will mean for SA agriculture
29-Oct-2021 Zawya
The European Union’s (EU) Farm-to-Fork Strategy is set to be implemented in 2022 and will come with an additional layer of regulations.
Algeria-Morocco rift another blow to Africa’s free trade aspirations
5-Oct-2021 ISS Africa
Algerian Foreign Affairs Minister Ramtane Lamamra’s announcement on 24 August of a new break in diplomatic relations with Morocco is another setback for free trade and free movement on the continent.
Do international trade and investment agreements generate regulatory chill in public health policymaking? A case study of nutrition and alcohol policy in South Africa
8-Sep-2021 Globalization and Health
Given the potential for wider use of the ISDS mechanism, strategies to protect public health policy space in the context of both international trade and investment treaty and dispute settlement contexts remain important.
China Is the biggest winner from Africa’s new free trade bloc
28-Aug-2021 Foreign Policy
AfCFTA was supposed to usher in a new era of continental trade and economic growth—but Beijing’s not letting that happen.
Russians warn of arbitration against South Africa
18-Aug-2021 IOL
RUSSIAN attorneys have warned they will institute international arbitration proceedings against South Africa for failing to protect their client Transasia Mineral’s investment after the company was allegedly defrauded of R458 million by a local businessman.
AfCFTA rules of origin talks drag
15-Aug-2021 The Southern Times
The full rollout of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is being delayed as countries haggle over the overarching agreement on rules of origin and tariff reduction schedules.
SA poultry farmer is a big advocate of AfCFTA agreement
29-Jul-2021 Eyewitness News
Founder of Peezel Farms believes South African poultry farmers need new markets as they continue to be undermined by current regulations which allow some foreign countries to dump their chicken products in the country.
Africa will fail to reach free-trade goals without new rules and infrastructure
31-May-2021 Business Day
Policy changes are needed to facilitate the faster and seamless flow of goods and services across borders.
African Continental Free Trade Area: A pipe dream or silver bullet?
31-May-2021 Daily Maverick
Current realities are likely to counter the expectations that the AfCFTA is some kind of silver bullet that will transform Africa, sweeping away decades of embedded dysfunction and challenges.
Mustaqeem de Gama, South African Mission in Geneva: “It is a bad idea for any African country to consider signing the Energy Charter Treaty”
23-Feb-2021 Investigate Europe
Joining the Energy Charter Treaty is not in the public interest, according to South Africa’s government. It has also cancelled other agreements that allowed foreign investors to sue their state. This has not stopped investors from coming, says Mustaqeem de Gama.
Biden faces South African push to extend trade concessions
22-Feb-2021 Bloomberg
South Africa’s preferential market access to the U.S. is under review, however, the country is apprehensive about striking a new trade deal with the U.S. and would rather maintain existing relations with the world’s largest economy.
Can SA trust the EU’s commitment to fair trade?
10-Feb-2021 Business Day
All too often SA is condemned by the EU, Brazil and others for implementing necessary trade defence measures against unfair competition. But it is interesting to observe how the EU, a culprit of dumping in SA, fights to protect itself against dumping at all costs.
African Continental Free Trade Agreement: Red tape delays start of trading under new pact
15-Jan-2021 Daily Maverick
All SACU members need to ratify the AfCFTA before any of its members can start trading under it. ECOWAS States were facing the same problem.
New SA trade agreements now effective
3-Jan-2021 IOL
Friday marked the start of trade for South African firms under two new trade agreements, the trade and industry and competition department (dtic) said.
South Africa raises poultry-import tariffs, drawing US ire
16-Mar-2020 Bloomberg
The announcement immediately drew criticism from the US government, which previously threatened to exclude South Africa from a preferential trade agreement after a disagreement over the levies in 2015.