Southern African Development Community (SADC) trade ministers will meet “very soon” to discuss the way forward on Zimbabwe’s ban on imports from its neighbouring countries – which is in direct violation of the bloc’s trade protocol. It’s just over a year since Zimbabwe implemented its controversial Statutory Instrument (SI) 64 banning a large number of imported household goods, mainly fuels, oils and foodstuffs. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), South African exporters were the most affected as the country is Zimbabwe’s largest trading partner, with the trade balance hugely in favour of SA. Speaking to FTW on the sidelines of the Manufacturing Indaba in Johannesburg last week, Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, said that Zimbabwe had agreed to provide a list of products it produced locally so that SADC ministers could evaluate where, and whether, protection was needed to safeguard the local industry. “We are not monsters. We won’t play hardball if they can prove the respective industries need protection and that implementation of the SI64 has made a difference. But frankly we are sceptical that this is the case, and we need to protect our own traders,” he said. Davies said this was a “very serious matter”, pointing out that trade protocols were implemented for the benefit of all member states to prevent exploitation. Earlier this year FTW reported cross-border agents as saying that the smuggling of illicit goods had intensified since the implementation of the import ban.
We won’t play hardball if they can prove the respective industries need protection. – Dr Rob Davies
