His Excellency, President Jacob Zuma has this morning, 9 June 2016, arrived in Maseru in the Kingdom of Lesotho to consult on matters relating to the Southern African Customs Union (SACU).

The consultations are a follow up to the discussions held by the SACU Heads of State and Government during the inauguration of the new SACU Headquarters building in Windhoek, Namibia, on 12 November 2015.

The discussions will also focus on progress in the implementation of the SACU work programme as adopted by the 2011 SACU Summit. The deliberations will also consider regional, continental and global economic and trade developments and their impact on SACU.

President Zuma recently travelled to Botswana, Namibia and Swaziland - between 18 and 21 April 2016 - for similar consultations on SACU.

SACU, one of the oldest customs unions in the world, is 105 years old and consists of five members, namely; Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland.

During the visit, President Zuma is scheduled to meet His Majesty, King Letsie III as well as Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili, to discuss the important regional and global issues of mutual concern and further strengthen and consolidate the strategic and historical bilateral relations between the two countries.

President Zuma, who is the current Chair of the SACU Summit, is accompanied by Ms Maite Nkoana Mashabane, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation; Dr Rob Davies, Minister of Trade and Industry and Mr Pravin Gordhan, Minister of Finance.

 

Issued by The Presidency