What are characteristic features of the place of Southern African Customs Union (SACU) within Southern African regional integration? SACU’s place within Southern African regional integration is characterised by the following factors.

They are, firstly, that regional integration has never been SACU’s objective. SACU never provided for the advancement of regional integration beyond it being the customs union. The advancement of regional integration is not provided for in its 1910 and 1969 Agreements as one of its objectives. It is still not provided for in its 2002 Agreement as one of its objectives. SACU has been providing the means for regional integration among its members on the basis of it being the customs union. Its 2002 Agreement does not provide it with the competence to promote regional integration.

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Written by By Dr Sehlare Makgetlaneng, Chief Research Specialist and Governance and Security Programme Leader at Africa Institute of South Africa and a Member of tje International Expert Group, Russian Centre for Policy Studies, Moscow.