Monetary Harmonization In Southern Africa

At its 1991 Summit held in Arusha, Tanzania, the authority of SADC decided that the organisation should embark on macroeconomic and sectoral policy planning and coordination. As pointed out by the organisation's Executive Secretary in January 1992, during the Annual Consultative meeting held in Maputo, Mozambique, macroeconomic policy planning and coordination will include the creation of a monetary union. All member states of SADC, except Botswana, are also members of the Preferential Trade Area of Eastern and Southern Africa (PTA). According to its Treaty, the aim of the PTA is to promote cooperation and development in all fields of economic activity, including monetary affairs. Monetary cooperation has been interpreted to include establishing a common monetary area with a greater measure of monetary stability in order to facilitate economic integration. To this end, the authority of the PTA decided in 1990 that the organisation should work towards the establishment of a single currency by the year 2000. Southern Africa already has one monetary harmonization scheme a- the Common Currency Area covering South Africa, Lesotho, Namibia and Swaziland. Mozambique has openly expressed interest in joining this currency area. Other countries would like to see the rand become the common currency of Southern Africa.