Ministers of Trade and Industry have been urged to be focused in trade related issues in order to create a free trade area within the Southern African region.

In his welcome remarks at a 19th SADC Committee of Ministers of Trade and Industry meeting held in Maseru on Monday, Lesotho's Minister of Trade and Industry Mr. Popane Lebesa said the meeting takes place at a crucial time when SADC is preparing to be a free trade area by 2008.

He said they should consider the trade protocol whose implementation is scheduled for six months from now.

Mr. Lebesa added that Ministers should also prepare for the next meeting that will be convened in Maseru, Lesotho later this month to ensure that issues relating to trade are improved within the region.

Speaking at the same occasion SADC Deputy Executive Secretary Dr. Joao Caholo also appealed to ministers to consider this meeting as a critical milestone and their preparation to report to heads of governments and state about trade protocol, which they signed during the 2006 SADC summit.

The agenda of the meeting included among others status for implementation of the trade protocol, review on rules of origin, SADC industrial policy development and briefing on SADC customs union preparations.

SOURCE: LENA 02/07/2007