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Comesa Business Council (CBC) secretary-general Mr Trust Chikohora, who is also the immediate past president of the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce, told Business Chronicle that at their recent meeting in Kenya it was noted that: “The leaders of business communities in the respective of Comesa member states had met several times to consider ways by which their roles in the region’s drive for economic integration could be enhanced.
“And thus at our meeting in Nairobi, we reached a common conclusion that there should be the free movement of businesspersons and people in general within the region to promote trade and economic development,” he said.
He said CBC strongly appealed to all member states to facilitate the free movement of bona fide businesspersons and professionals subject only to the requirements of the national security of each member state, it being understood that national apex business institutions such as chambers of commerce would co-operate in vouching for the bona fide status of such businesspeople and professionals.
He said CBC also recommended that it should be recognised as a policy organ participating in the region’s committee on trade in services.
Mr Chikohora said delegates also recommended that the CBC national focal point should be recognised at the Comesa National Co-ordinating Ministry to ensure that the private sector was included in the national delegation participating at the national and regional policy organs.
“While noting that some member states have national monitoring committees on non-tariff barriers that are operational, the CBC requests for the formation of dedicated national monitoring committees on the elimination of visas for free movement of businesspersons. The commitees should be inclusive of ministries and key stakeholders involved in the movement of persons, labour and services in the region,” he said.
He said over the years, the Comesa secretariat had long recognised that the region’s private sector remained the weakest link in the integration chain.
Against this background, the Comesa secretariat had started taking bold steps towards strengthening and engaging CBC as an irreplaceable partner of governments in their quest for rapid, equitable and sustainable economic growth and development.
derick.khumalo