President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah joined other Heads of State at the Cape Town International Convention Centre for the 9th Summit of the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). 

During the opening ceremony, South African President and outgoing SACU Chair Cyril Ramaphosa called for shared infrastructure investment to foster regional economic integration.

He stressed the importance of moving from commodity dependence to industrialisation and economic sovereignty, with the aim of transforming SACU into a dynamic engine of regional development. 

At the same occasion, SACU Executive Secretary Dumisani Masilela highlighted the need to accelerate and advance the SACU Reimagine initiative, which addresses tariff setting, regional export strategies, financing for industrialisation and management of the common revenue pool.

SACU has also undertaken a review of its strategy covering the 2022 to 2027 period, indicating progress towards achieving its goals despite challenges, including financial resource constraints.