U.S. continues push for free trade agreement with Southern African bloc

U.S. continues push for free trade agreement with Southern African bloc    The Bush administration said it will continue to press for a free trade agreement with the countries of the Southern African Customs Union.
   The union comprises Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa and Swaziland.
   “The United States and SACU will develop a joint work program to address a broad range of FTA and other trade- and investment-related issues, and potentially in the near-term, seek to conclude concrete trade and investment-enhancing agreements,” said Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Karan Bhatia in a statement Tuesday.
   The United States and Southern African Customs Union started free trade agreement talks in 2003 to build upon the African Growth and Opportunities Act, under which two-way trade between the United States and sub-Saharan Africa has more than doubled.