The 13th meeting of the Ministerial Task Force (MTF) on Regional Economic Integration held in July 2013 in Maputo, Mozambique, recognised that in consolidating the SADC Free Trade Area (FTA) there were challenges, particularly in the area of trade facilitation. Accordingly, the MTF directed the SADC Secretariat to develop a Trade Facilitation Programme (TFP). The TFP is a SADC-specific programme which addresses regional and Member States’ issues.