Regional Trade Forum

discussion and assistance offered between members, on technical topics. These included customs valuation, the automotive sector and the impact of the revised APDP programme (APDP II), and several discussions regarding localisation policies and the potential impact on American business. We retained regular agenda items, including feedback from the SARS Customs and Excise National Stakeholders Forums, Operations and Strategy as well as other trade and customs operations-related updates. We also shared regulatory updates impacting trade. A change to the presentation and discussion of the content of these updates was to ensure it was presented in a business-like manner, and to be as useful as possible to all attendees.

Representatives of the U.S. Embassy remained in attendance and shared exciting developments to support and enhance trade between the U.S. and Africa. An interesting development was the Just Energy Transition programme.

In 2022, the sustainability topic made its way into the trade space as a key driver for change. An example of this is CBAM (Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism). Although these do, for now, only apply to exports to Europe, we anticipate the extension of this new type of tax across the globe. It was important to understand the impact of the Green Journey on customs and trade and its key responsibility as enforcer, collector and gatekeeper while still facilitating trade and removing tariff and non-tariff barriers where these are not necessary. The role of global trade in strategic discussions of the transition to sustainable supply chains cannot be overemphasised.

The Forum enjoyed connecting in person at the Thanksgiving Gala Event where Dr Sooliman reminded us all of our individual roles in effecting positive change in our country. It is many small actions that make the most impact. When trying to enhance trade between countries, there is no better example of this than in the role of customs, logistics and supply chain.