The SA Revenue Service (Sars) and the United States Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) have agreed to cooperate to secure trade between the two countries, Sars said on Thursday.
A declaration of principles was signed on June 27 in Brussels by Sars commissioner Pravin Gordhan and USCBP deputy commissioner Douglas Browning and came into effect on July 7.
The two bodies would now gear up security measures at South African ports to ensure the safety of exports from South and southern Africa.
The declaration formed part of South Africa’s commitment to aid SA-US trade and boost economic ties. The US is one of South Africa’s key trading partners.
In terms of the declaration, both parties would exchange information and work together to identify, screen, examine and seal high-risk containers and station customs officials at each other’s high-volume seaports, spokesperson Jacob Dlamini said.
Bilateral trade between South Africa and the US had grown sharply and consistently since 1994.
”Total trade has jumped from $1,85-billion in 1994 to $4,83-billion in 2000, making America South Africa’s single largest trading partner, according to Statistics South Africa.”
In 2000, South African exports to the US totalled $2,09-billion, while imports from the US amounted to $2,7-billion. These imports and exports go through ports of entry covered by the declaration of principles. – Sapa