Masina said access to markets as fellow African countries served as a draw-card for direct investments. It also serves to transform the region and Africa from small fragmented markets to one large market where companies can achieve economies of scale, lower production costs and ultimately global competitiveness.

“We need to build industrial and manufacturing capacity in each other’s economies. Furthermore, the importance of sound investment in infrastructure development in terms of roads, rail, ports, telecommunications and the removal of regulatory barriers that have a negative impact on movements of goods and services, cannot be over-emphasised,” he said.

Masina told businesspeople from Ghana and South Africa that the latter’s priority is to champion integration and developmental agenda in Africa in respect of the Southern African Customs Union (Sacu), Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the recently launched tripartite initiative to integrate SADC, the East African Community (EAC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).

Available: http://www.thedti.gov.za/editmedia.jsp?id=3441