Representatives of the business sector and members of the public can take part in an open dialogue meeting next week on the benefit of free trade agreements for southern Africa. On Tuesday, 24 February between 07h00 and 09h00, the meeting will take place in the Continental Hotel in Windhoek. It is organised by the Agricultural Trade Forum, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, and Nepru and presented by Dr Dirk Hansohm, executive director of Nepru. The main topic will be whether free trade agreements with industrialised nations are beneficial to SACU, the Southern African Customs Union. Members of SACU are Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland. The focus will also be on the proposed free trade area (FTA) agreement SACU countries are currently negotiating with the US.