Tuesday, August 4, 2009
From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Amy Witherden.
Making headlines:
The creation of a Southern African Development Community (SADC) customs union will not be realised by the envisaged 2010 deadline, as work on the foundation for the customs union has fallen behind.
Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) international trade and economic development deputy director-general Xavier Carim explains that Ministers are reconsidering the move to a customs union, as it may not be the best way to enhance regional integration in Southern Africa.
Carim notes that work will continue on consolidating the Free Trade Area and regional economic cluster integration, which is more achievable than a customs union in SADC.
"Regional integration is still a top-down approach, and we need to be serious about generating research to inform discussion," states Carim.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has begun a seven-nation trip to Africa, pressing for more anticorruption efforts while seeking to boost trade as China's influence rises on the continent.
Clinton's trip comes less than a month after President Barack Obama visited Ghana and told African leaders that Western aid must be matched by good governance and greater attempts to end war, disease and corruption.
Clinton's visit is intended to reinforce that message but is also aimed at showing that the Obama administration sees Africa as a foreign policy priority, despite other challenges in the Middle East.
The US is also looking at ways to boost trade with the 48 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has urged new National Police Commissioner Bheki Cele to retract a comment in support of a moratorium on crime statistics.
DA shadow minister of police Dianne Kohler-Barnard expressed disbelief that just a few days into his job, Cele made such a "blatantly politically motivated and completely counterproductive announcement".
Cele suggested that the halting of crime statistics would help police, as criminals "use" the statistics and this could complicate the police's task. He added that statistics are used as a political instrument.

Also making headlines:
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union calls for a review of "lavish" privileges for public servants.
The Department of Trade and Industry says that European Union trade agreements undermine regional economic integration in Southern Africa.
And, Niger is to vote on a three-year extension of power for its President Mamadou Tandja.

That's a roundup of news making headlines today.