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South Afric A Country Of Diversity

Decent Essays

Group Portion
Background
South Africa is a country of diversity, with 11 languages that are officially recognized--Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, and Zulu (Statistics South Africa, 2011). Although South Africa has diverse communities, much of its history has proven a lack of representation. Up until 1994, South Africa was ruled by a white minority government, which came into power in 1948 and enforced a racial segregation policy called apartheid—a policy that mandates that black and white communities live in separate areas, commute separately, etc. (“South Africa: Background,” n.d.). The corrupt government also stirred conflict around neighboring countries. Eventually, the apartheid …show more content…

Progressive Discussion of Trade Agreements
South Africa is party to a variety of trade agreements, from the oldest customs union in the world, to more recent free trade areas. In 1964, it enacted a bilateral trade agreement with Zimbabwe, which provided preferential rates of duties, rebates, and quotas on certain goods for both countries. In 1969, it joined the South African Customs Union, which removed trade barriers between itself and members Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland, while charging a common external tariff. In 1994, it entered into a bilateral trade agreement with India, and again in 1996 with China. For the latter, a mutual extension of “most favored nation” status was agreed upon. In 1999, it finalized the Trade, Development and Cooperation Agreement, which created a free-trade area between the EU and South Africa. Under the agreement, South Africa gains improved access to European markets, while simultaneously relaxing restrictions on EU exports. In 2000, it implemented another free trade agreement called the South African Development Community, which aims to foster regional peace and integrate the regional economies of its 12 member states. Also in 2000, the US Congress approved the African Growth and Opportunity Act, which allowed 90% of South African exports to enter US markets duty-free. It has current and pending agreements with other states (such as Malawi for

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