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About the dti>> International Trade and Economic
Development Division
International Trade and Economic Development Division
Purpose
The International Trade and Economic
Development (ITED) Division provides leadership on South
Africa's trade policy, to promote economic development. It
further aims to build an equitable multilateral trading
system that facilitates development and strengthens trade
and investment links with key economies. In particular,
ITED seeks to foster African development, through regional
and continental integration and development, aligned to the
objectives of the New Partnership for Africa's Development
(Nepad). In broad terms, the development and implementation
of trade policy requires ongoing efforts to shape the terms
and conditions of South Africa's integration into the
global economy, in a manner that supports South Africa?s
national economic and industrial developmental objectives.
ITED contributes to creating the conditions that enhance
the export of higher value-added products, promote inward
and outward investment, and preserve the space to implement
national development policies. ITED broadens and
strengthens national consultative mechanisms both within
government, and between government and its stakeholders.
Consultation between departments, particularly within the
intra-governmental cluster system, with Parliament and
stakeholders, primarily through the National Economic
Development and Labour Council (Nedlac), are focus areas in
this regard.
Strategic Goals
Expand market access for South Africa's exports
and strengthen trade and investment links by aiming to
conclude annual bilateral trade and investment agreements
and/or memoranda of understanding over the Medium-Term
Expenditure Framework (MTEF) period;
Develop and implement work programmes for enhanced
South-South co-operation;
Develop and implement a co-operative trilateral
work programme for Angola, Namibia and South Africa (ANSA),
focusing on Spatial Development Initiatives (SDIs);
Advance South Africa's position on trilateral Free
Trade Agreements (FTAs) encompassing the Southern African
Development Community (SADC)-East African Community
(EAC)-Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa
(Comesa);
Consolidate the SADC FTA through focused work on
improving rules of origin, trade facilitation measures and
the establishment of a mechanism to address non-tariff
barriers;
Develop a clear work progamme to guide
participation in SACU, in light of disruption caused by the
Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA);
Update negotiating positions for a developmental
outcome in Doha negotiations;
Conclude tariff negotiations with the European
Union (EU), under Trade, Development and Co-operation
Agreement (TDCA)/EPA alignment;
Conclude the SACU-India Preferential Trade
Agreement (PTA);
Oversee the International Trade Administration
Commission's (ITAC's) administration of the tariff regime
(managing customs tariffs, trade remedies, import and
export control permits and duty credit certificates); and
Ensure compliance with international
non-proliferation treaties, by monitoring production and
trade in relevant industries.
Composition
ITED comprises two business
units:
International Trade Development; and
African Economic Development.
International Trade Development
The unit seeks to develop global trade
and investment links with key economies, promote economic
development, negotiate preferential trade agreements and
support a strong, equitable multi-trading system.
International Trade Development is a policy development
business unit, which seeks to design policy instruments to
facilitate economic activity, aimed at South Africa's
further integration into the global economy. Its strategic
purpose is therefore to negotiate international trade
agreements on a bilateral and multilateral basis within the
context of a global trading environment and to manage South
Africa's tariff regime.
African Economic Development
The unit's mandate is to promote
African regional economic integration and development, in
keeping with the continental objectives and strategies set
out by the African Union (AU) and Nepad, with particular
focus on Southern Africa, through the Southern African
Development Community (SADC) and Southern African Customs
Union (SACU). The unit also aims to complement trade
integration with more determined efforts to build
diversified production capacity within the region and
throughout the continent.
