Trade in SACU Energy Services: Towards A Negotiating Strategy

This report summarizes a workshop hosted by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) on June 23, 2009, regarding energy services within the Southern African Customs Union (SACU). The document outlines the challenges of liberalizing trade in energy services, the tension between universal electricity access and tariff levels for Independent Power Producers (IPPs), and the need for a regional integrated resource plan to reduce dependence on Western information and fossil fuels.

• The SACU agreement contains no mention of trade in services, and previous trade negotiations have demonstrated that liberalizing services within the region is problematic.
• There is a conflict between achieving universal electricity access, particularly in rural areas, and setting tariffs high enough to attract investment from Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to develop necessary infrastructure.
• The region requires an integrated resource plan and regional technical transfer to pool information and reduce reliance on the West. Other suggested areas for regional cooperation include investment incentives, regional energy efficiency, and agreements on environmental and fossil fuel subsidies.
• A primary obstacle to renewable energy projects is a lack of political will, which is often diverted toward external bilateral cooperation rather than regional integration in sub-Saharan Africa. Additionally, existing incentives like Feed-in Tariffs suffer from implementation deficits.
• The document advocates for a shift away from coal and oil dependence and suggests that making tailor-made commitments to the WTO could hold governments accountable and lock in domestic requirements.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (n.d.). Trade in SACU Energy Services: Towards A Negotiating Strategy. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/dttp_sacu_energy_services_workshop_report_200906.pdf

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Trade in SACU Energy Services: Towards A Negotiating Strategy. n.d. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/dttp_sacu_energy_services_workshop_report_200906.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Trade in SACU Energy Services: Towards A Negotiating Strategy |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/dttp_sacu_energy_services_workshop_report_200906.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairsndtrade, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Trade in SACU Energy Services: Towards A Negotiating Strategy}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/dttp_sacu_energy_services_workshop_report_200906.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }