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South Africa

COMESA welcomes SA’s ratification of the Tripartite FTA
11-Oct-2018 Tralac
South Africa has ratified the Tripartite Free Trade Agreement, becoming the fourth country to do so after Egypt, Uganda and Kenya. 10 more ratifications are now needed for the Agreement to enter into force.
Europeans unhappy about SA’s duties on chicken
23-Aug-2018 Business Day
European chicken producers are miffed by South Africa’s decision to impose import duties on their exports, which goes against the spirit of the EPA [economic partnership agreement].
Making the right to regulate in investment law and policy work for development: Reflections from the South African and Brazilian experiences
16-Aug-2018 IISD
Despite challenges, the experiences of South Africa and Brazil demonstrate that there is room for genuine reimagination of the investment regime, where the interests of investors are matched with the development concerns of host countries.
Nigeria’s President Buhari says will soon sign up to African free-trade agreement
12-Jul-2018 Reuters
Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari said the country will sign up soon to a $3 trillion African free-trade agreement.
SA to sign African free trade agreement - Davies
2-Jul-2018 Fin24
South Africa will sign the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTFA) agreement, Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies confirmed.
S/African gov’t approves African tripartite FTA pact, industrial action plan
11-May-2018 Journal du Cameroun
The TFTA seeks to establish an enlarged market involving 27 member countries from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa, the East African Community and Southern African Development Community.
SA wants more clarity before signing African free trade plan
27-Mar-2018 Fin24
The SA government wants more clarity on details related to the African Continent Free Trade Area. Unions warned that the agreement could lead to job losses.
Indonesia to start trade talks to boost exports
5-Jan-2018 Jakarta Post
Indonesia seeks to initiate negotiations on trade agreements under both bilateral and regional schemes this year to help jack up the country’s exports.
South Africa fails to exploit free trade agreement access to massive EU market
17-Oct-2017 Daily Maverick
So-called SPS – Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary – issues identified as the main culprit. "Sometimes ostensible SPS issues were in fact disguised trade protectionism," said South Africa Trade Minister.
After AGOA: SA must prepare for two-way free trade agreements with US
19-Jun-2017 Daily Maverick
The Trump Administration has signalled its impatience to replace the AGOA preferential trade deal with Africa with normal two-way free trade agreements.
SA and UK start making plans for post-Brexit trade
18-May-2017 Business Day
Nations agree in principle to implement interim arrangement based on existing EU partnership deal.
Africa’s free trade agreement: A step too far?
17-May-2017 GTR
Plans to establish a single market for the 26 African countries in the Eastern and Southern African region – known as the tripartite free trade area (TFTA) – could be overly ambitious.
EU hits out at South Africa’s poultry dumping protest
3-Feb-2017 Global Meat News
The European Commission has expressed concern after hundreds of people protested in Pretoria, South Africa, against EU poultry dumping that has forced profit­-hit chicken processors to cut jobs.
South Africa and EU spar over chicken meat ‘dumping’
2-Feb-2017 EurActiv
South Africa’s poultry industry says it is on the brink of collapse due to hotly-denied accusations that the European Union is dumping cheap chicken in the country in a dispute over free trade.
India-SACU trade pact talks need to be revived: South Africa
17-Oct-2016 Business Standard
South Africa pressed for revival of the negotiations for the proposed preferential trade agreement between India and five-nation Southern African Customs Union (SACU).
Push for trade pact will polarise BRICS nations, warns S. Africa
14-Oct-2016 The Hindu
An immediate push for a BRICS Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will polarise heavily-industrialised and lesser-industrialised nations within the five-member grouping, warned South African trade and industry minister.
Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Egypt to start free trade zones
8-Sep-2016 NTA
Nigeria is to establish a free trade zone with Kenya, South Africa and Egypt. The four countries have already worked out modalities for establishing the zone.
Fears over partnership with EU
23-Jun-2016 IOL
The African Farmers Association of SA (Afasa) fears an international economic partnership that is expected to create hundreds of thousands of jobs in South Africa will not, in the long run, benefit those on the ground.
Investment act may clash with SADC treaty
17-Jun-2016 Business Day
Legal practitioners have been saying for some time now that SA’s Protection of Investment Act is not in sync with the country’s commitments under the Southern African Development Community Protocol on Finance and Investment.
Why developing countries are dumping investment treaties
25-Mar-2016 The Conversation
Bilateral investment treaties have been a source of political controversy in recent years. This is clear from the alarming increase in the number of disputes between investors and governments.