Hon House Chair, the ACDP appreciates the proactive stance that the Department of Trade and Industry took when it became evident that Brexit was to take place. The Southern African Customs Union Member States and Mozambique, and the UK of Britain and Northern Island Economic Partnership Agreement once ratified, will avoid a trade disruption by rolling over the SADC and EU
Economic Partnership Agreement, EPA to a stand-alone agreement. If and when the UK leaves the EU, the UK will obviously no longer be a part of the 28 EU Member States.
This EPA is a no-brainer as it presents a win-win scenario for the South African trade in a sense that, should Brexit take place, we retain our EPA with the EU and simultaneously enter into this EPA with the UK. This will result in an overall increase in our exports to European countries. With respect to our UK EPA additional market access for 13 agricultural products including wine and sugar will be secured. The ACDP is aware that the UK is our fourth largest trading partner behind China, Germany and the United States.
And as stated by Minister Patel a total trade which excludes some of our gold exports from SA between South Africa and the UK increased from 56,3 billion in 2012 to 101,2 billion in 2018, an increase of 79,8%. Exports from South Africa to the UK increased from 27,4 billion in 2012 to 57,7 billion in 2018. In terms of employment created from exports to the UK, it is estimated that there are some 56 000 direct jobs and 117 000 indirect
jobs that will be created. In essence the effects of the agreement enable South African businesses to continue to export their products to the UK and ensure that there is continuity within this market.
Finally, it is the view of the ACDP that those who call for boycotts and the cancellation of trade agreements between the United States of America and Israel are enemies of the poor and the unemployed in South Africa. These voices are strangely silent when our African brothers are massacred in Nigeria and Somalia by terrorist organisations and other brothers and sisters in Africa sold into slavery in Libya. The ACDP supports this EPA. I thank you.