Eswatini closer to establishing National tariff body
SACU and Eswatini Executives after the meeting.
By Delisa Magagula
Eswatini has taken a significant step toward establishing a national tariff and trade remedies body, with the Ministry of Commerce,
Industry and Trade now spearheading the creation of a formal mechanism to guide the country’s participation in the SACU Common External Tariff system.
Speaking at the Eswatini Workshop on the Establishment of a National Consultative Mechanism for Tariffs and Trade Remedies
, held on Tuesday at Ezulwini Principal Secretary Melusi Masuku said the Kingdom is transitioning from concept to execution, with the development of an action plan now underway.
“We started with a roadmap. We looked at where we are, where we want to be, and now we’re working toward a very clear, actionable framework that allows Eswatini to initiate and respond to tariff changes meaningfully.” said Masuku.
The three-day workshop, running from July 29-31, is being held in collaboration with the SACU Secretariat and includes participation from government, civil society, and the private sector.
It aims to design an inclusive national process to engage with SACU’s regional tariff-setting architecture.
Currently, SACU’s tariff board mandated by the SACU Agreement is not yet operational. In the interim, the International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) of South Africa acts as the de facto body overseeing tariff recommendations.
However, Masuku emphasized that this arrangement is temporary and Eswatini must build its own institutional muscle.
“No country can say it controls its industrial policy unless it can influence tariff decisions whether to raise, lower, or exempt them, this workshop is about giving Eswatini that voice.” he said.
At the conclusion of the workshop, officials are expected to finalize a national action plan outlining roles, responsibilities, and timelines for the establishment of the consultative mechanism.
Once in place, it will allow Eswatini to formally propose changes to SACU’s tariff schedule or respond to submissions from other member states. The PS also called for long-term continuity:
“It’s one thing to get this right today. It’s another to build a system that grows and lasts. That’s what we’re working toward.” said Masuku.
