Minister calls on experts to help ensure the success of free trade in Southern Africa .
Lusaka , 02 June 2008 (ECA) - The Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development of the Republic of Zambia, the Hon. Jonas Shakafuswa Monday called on experts to devise action-oriented recommendations to ensure that the forthcoming free trade area for Southern Africa is a success.
Speaking at the opening of the 14 th Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) meeting of the Southern Africa Office of the Economic Commission for Africa , Shakafuswa defined insanity as the habit of doing the same thing over and over again while expecting a different outcome each time. He said experts should not resort to business as usual but ensure that they produce a document that will help ensure that the free trade area, due to be launched by the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) in August this year, will be a success.
The SADC free trade area will cover 14 countries with a combined gross domestic product of US$ 333 billion in 2005 and a population of 241 million people.
Also speaking at the same meeting, the director of ECA's Southern Africa Office, Ms. Jennifer Kargbo, said following the repositioning of ECA which took place in 2006, the Commission was now more focused on improving regional integration on the continent and will therefore work hard in collaboration with SADC to ensure that the free trade area is a success.
She pointed out that ECA was also working with other regional economic communities on the continent to strengthen integration and support the African Union's target of establishing an African Economic Community.
The ICE will run from 2 – 4 June and recommendations from the meeting will guide the work of the ECA southern Africa office for the next twelve months.
Background Note:
The Intergovernmental Committee of Experts (ICE) comprises senior government experts from southern African countries, who supervise the work of Economic Commission for Africa , Southern Africa Office. The meeting is held once every year.
Representatives from the Ministries of Economic Planning and Development, Trade, Gender, Customs and Immigration; the private sector and civil society organisations will attend this 14 th ICE. Other participants include representatives from the African Union, NEPAD Secretariat, African Development Bank, Common Market for East and Southern Africa, Southern Africa Development Community, Development Bank of Southern Africa , and other United Nations agencies.
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