Sacu makes formal request to initiate post-Brexit trade talks with UK

South Africa’s Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies reports that the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu) has written a letter to the UK government formally requesting the initiation of talks on the terms of the bilateral trade relationship that will be put in place when Britain exits the European Union (EU) in 2019. On March 29, British Prime Minister Theresa May formally triggered Article 50, which provides a EU member wishing to leave the union two years to negotiate exit terms. May subsequently also called a snap June 8 general election, which she claimed was necessary to provide the country with the stable leadership required to see the UK through its ‘Brexit’ negotiations.