During the meeting of SACU members at the end of June 2026, the chairperson of the SACU Senior Trade Officials, Ms Xolelwa Mlumbi-Peter, said their meeting was necessary for Member States to strengthen regional cooperation and accelerate economic transformation across Southern Africa.
“The SACU Summit provides a strategic platform for Member States to deepen regional integration, strengthen industrial cooperation and advance practical initiatives that support economic growth, job creation and shared prosperity across our region,” says Mlumbi-Peter.
She adds that SACU’s future growth would increasingly depend on its ability to move beyond traditional trade arrangements towards greater productive capacity and industrial collaboration.
“Through closer cooperation, we can unlock new opportunities in sectors such as automotive manufacturing, agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, critical minerals beneficiation and emerging green industries,” she says.
Mlumbi-Peter further notes that SACU remains an important building block for broader African economic integration.
