Ready to compromise?

The Zimbabwean
government is holding
discussions with the
Southern African
Development Community
(SADC) to “mend trade
relationships” following
its implementation of the
controversial Statutory
Instrument (SI) 64 of 2016
in June this year.
This resulted in the
banning of several
imported goods into
Zimbabwe from its
neighbouring trade
partners, including
South Africa, under the
auspices of the SI. The
country’s Minister of
Trade and Commerce,
Mike Bimha, now admits
to not following SADC
trade protocol when it
introduced the SI.
“If we had followed it, it
would have taken longer
for us to get approvals from
the regions. So we agreed
that we are going to do it
and bite the bullet later,”
said Bimha, who spoke
recently at a Buy Zimbabwe
retailers and suppliers
conference held in Harare.