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Republic of Namibia

Ministry of International Relations & Trade

Namibia Trade Information Portal

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Southern African Development Community (SADC)

 

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) was established in 1992 with the main objective to achieve economic development, peace and security, and growth, alleviate poverty, enhance the standard and quality of life of the peoples of Southern Africa. The SADC has 16 Members States namely: Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Trade in Goods 

  1. The SADC Protocol on Trade is an agreement between SADC Member States to reduce customs duties and other barriers to trade on imported products among SADC Member States. This agreement was signed in 1996, as amended in 2010. All SADC countries except Angola, Comoros and Democratic Republic of Congo acceded to the SADC Protocol on Trade and currently the countries are trading using SADC trade instruments
  2. The SADC Free Trade Area was officially launched by 12 of the 16 SADC Member States in 2008 by eliminating customs duties on goods from the participating Member States (i.e. about 85% of goods attained zero duty in January 2008) and a Common Tariff System was applied to import of goods from non-Member States. To date tariffs on goods meeting the SADC Rules of Origin supposed to have been eliminated for all FTA Members.

​​​The main instruments adopted by SADC to facilitate regional trade include

  1. Trade Liberalisation. As part of its programme of Regional Integration, SADC has made considerable progress in removing barriers to trade, encouraging growth in the Region. SADC has also signed a Protocol on Trade in Services to provide for liberalisation of trade in services. ​​​​​​
  2. Rules of origin. Annex 1 of the SADC Protocol on Trade, provides that goods shall be accepted as eligible for preferential treatment when traded among SADC member States if they originate in Member States, namely wholly originating  or having undergone substantial transformation as provided in Article 3 and Appendix I of Annex I of SADC Protocol on Trade​​​​​​​
  3. Customs & Trade Facilitation. SADC aims to facilitate trade by simplifying, harmonising, standardising, and modernising regional customs procedures.​​​​
  4. Competition Policy. In order to support wider cooperation and effective monitoring of business practices, SADC has developed a Declaration on Regional Cooperation in Competition and Consumer Policies. ​​​​​​
  5. Non-Tariff Barriers. SADC is committed to removing barriers to trade, such as import/export quotas and administrative oversights.​​​​​​​
  6. Sanitary & Phyto-Sanitary Measures. Member States have agreed on a need to apply measures to ensure food, animal, and health safety across the Region. The SADC Protocol on Trade provides a framework for co-operation on these issues.

How to utilize trade preferences under SADC regime

  1. In order for the goods to enjoy preferential treatment, they must be wholly produced or meeting other criteria as per Annex I (RoO) of the SADC Protocol on Trade.
  2. Prior to Exportation, Exporters are required to possess a Certificate of Origin processed and issued by Namibia Revenue Agency (NamRA) attesting that the goods declared conform to specific rules of origin. For exporters to enjoy preferential treatment their products must be wholly produced or or meet other criteria of Annex I to the SADC Protocol on Trade.

Trade in Services

  1. SADC Protocol on Trade in Services entered into force in January 2022 and provides the framework for a preferential trade agreement covering commercial and tradable services.
  2. The Protocol aims to encourage increased intra-regional trade in services through progressive removal of barriers to trade in services in successful rounds of negotiations.
  3. In 2018, Namibia committed to the progressively negotiate removal of barriers to the free movement of services on the following service sectors; communication, financial, tourism and transport services resulting from the first round of negotiations.
  4. Namibia is undertaking national consultation for the following service sectors covered in the second round of negotiations: business; distribution; education; environmental; medical & dental and health, recreational, cultural and sporting services.

Further information can be obtained from https://www.sadc.int/