Busy executives force postponement of trade harmonisation meeting

WHILE THE subject of harmonisation of cross-border trade and freight matters is the purpose in a proposed tri-lateral (SA, Zimbabwe, Zambia) meeting, harmonising who is available amongst senior authorities to attend the meeting is proving a difficult task.
A planned get-together of senior representatives of customs, chambers of commerce, forwarding associations and others to discuss harmonisation was cancelled last year when main Zimbabwean customs parties couldn' t attend.
It was re-convened for a March 16 and 17 date this year, but has again been postponed. This time, the non-availability factor has come from SA customs.
We are now trying again, said Edward Little, executive director of SAAFF (SA Association of Freight Forwarders), and one of the invited attendees. As yet, there are no alternative dates, but it is a subject which will definitely continue to evolve as we move closer to a unified trade area.