COMESA says it is committed to ensuring that the Free Trade Area (FTA) protocol is enhanced in all its member states.
Speaking in an exclusive interview in Lusaka today ahead of the 20 COMESA Aid for Trade (COMAID) Coordinator, Hope Situmbeko said the objectives of COMESA are to help its member states develop through trade and trade linkages.
Ms. Situmbeko said in order to achieve this, there is need to have trade liberalization programs to be implemented by member states.
She said the aim of COMESA is to have a monitory review programme at the end of the day with external partners.
Ms. Situmbeko stated that COMESA became a free trade area in 2000 with Zambia being one of the members of the Free Trade Area.
She said FTA has allowed for the reduction of tariffs for goods in transit amongst members states and with external partners.
Ms. Situmbeko said the reduction of tariffs with other members states was necessitated to ensure that trade is enhanced.
She said free movements of goods increases markets and a bigger region of consumers of the regions products.
Ms. Situmbeko said because of the FTA, Members States have the preference of getting inputs that they require in the production of other goods and services.
She pointed out that the region is dependent on each other, one way or the other, which calls for the need to increase bilateral ties for wider regional integration.
Ms. Situmbeko said trade facilitation eases movement of goods from the east, is key in the implementation of FTA as the cost of transportation is very high these days.
She said the North South Corridor which involves Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, is one of the key successes that the COMESA Block has scored.
Ms. Situmbeko said the biggest weaknesses in the COMESA region are productive capacities that member states many not have, meaning all countries need each other at every stage of production.
