A trade continuity agreement between the United Kingdom (UK) and the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) countries and Mozambique, will benefit British and the SACU and Mozambique businesses after UK leaves the European Union (EU).

In a statement the British High Commission to Lesotho announced that the UK International Trade Secretary Liz Truss, signed the SACUM-UK Economic Partnership Agreement during the Commonwealth Trade Ministers Meeting in London, with ministers and high commissioners representing the SACU states and Mozambique.

According to the British High Commission to Lesotho, the agreement will allow businesses to trade much as they do now, without any additional barriers.

The commission states that the agreement will eliminate tariffs and quotas on all goods imported from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique and Namibia into the UK, after UK leaves the EU, as well as on products covering around 96% of goods imported from South Africa.

The statement further indicates that Botswana, Namibia, Eswatini, Lesotho and South Africa, will also remove all tariffs and quotas on products covering around 85% of UK exports, with products covering around a further 13% of UK benefiting from reduced tariffs or tariff-rate quotas.

The British High Commission says these preferential terms, are part of the UK Government’s commitment to supporting developing countries to reduce poverty through trade, and to help them to grow their economies, create jobs, increase incomes and reduce reliance on overseas aid in the long run.