THE Zambian cabinet has approved the signing of the Zambia/Southern Africa Customs Union Trade Agreement (SACU) negotiated in 1998. Commerce, trade and industry minister David Mpamba on Wednesday said the country can now proceed and sign the agreement with SACU members. The SACU agreement aims to promote trade between Zambia and South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland. Quotas of selected Zambian goods will be allowed into SACU countries duty free. He said the agreement is reciprocal with respect to all SACU members except South Africa. An interim arrangement, it will be replaced by the Southern African Development Community trade protocol when the latter is fully implemented.
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