Trade body calls for lifting of regional barriers

Zimbabweans using sweets as currency ZAMBIA’S Cross-Border Traders Association (CBTA) has urged the SADC and COMESA to implement trade protocols in order to enhance cross-border trade. CBTA’s acting chairperson Celeste Mwanakisi said last week that traders were continuing to face problems with Customs authorities in some of the COMESA member countries despite these countries having joined the Free Trade Area (FTA). She said the continued economic crisis in Zimbabwe, which was a member of both SADC and COMESA, was impeding cross-border trade. It had deteriorated to the extent that some Zimbabwean traders were forced to trade in Zambia with sweets as opposed to merchandise of economic substance. The association had expected trade barriers to have been lifted by now with the regional bodies moving towards integration, but this was not happening fast enough. A COMESA summit is due to be held in Nairobi from May 11-23 this year.