Regional Trade Integration in Southern Africa: Critical Policy Issues

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to highlight key issues arising from regional trade integration in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) as well as the concomitant policies required to facilitate the trade process. The paper highlights issues pertaining to distribution effects arising from integrating unequal partners and the need for open trade policies in order to realise potential positive spillovers. The main policy issues discussed are competition policies, standards and related technical regulations, rules of origin, macroeconomic policies, fiscal revenue implications, industrial strategies and the need for an appropriate institutional framework.South Africa: regional trade integration, distribution effects