Chronicle Editor
Prosper Ndlovu, Business Editor
THE Council of Ministers for the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) has cut the budget for the Secretariat by 10 percent and agreed on the need to ease export and import restrictions to facilitate smooth movement of essential goods as part of regional response measures to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.
The approval of the new guidelines is expected to enhance trade facilitation and would be buttressed by development of an online platform for exchanging information on availability of essential products within the bloc.
“The Ministers approved a reduction of 10 percent of the Secretariat budget following suppressed activities as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and confer the benefit to the member states in their annual contributions.They also agreed on the need to ease export/import restrictions to facilitate movement of pharmaceutical and other essential goods as well as free movement of health professionals across the region,” said Comesa in a statement following an extra-ordinary meeting of the Council of Ministers, held last Thursday.
The virtual meeting was convened to approve a harmonised set of regional guidelines developed to facilitate movement of goods and services across the region during the Covid-19 pandemic. It brought together ministers in charge of coordination of Comesa activities at the national level. During engagement, participants stressed the need for an online platform for exchange of information on availability of essential products within the bloc during and after the Covid-19 pandemic period.
The new guidelines provide common measures and practices to be applied across the 21 Comesa countries. In developing the guidelines, reference was made to those of the East African Community, the Southern Africa Development Community and the African Union to ensure a seamless application of trade facilitation measures in the region.
In her statement to the Council, Comesa secretary general, Ms Chileshe Kapwepwe, said the regional guidelines were now critical for a coordinated and harmonised response, to ensure that collective efforts served to reinforce and not undermine each other.
“The impact of Covid-19 has made it clear that as a region we need to strengthen and integrate regional policies to take into account the adverse socio-economic and political impact and to develop strategies to support and facilitate quick recovery of our economies,” she said.
The guidelines seek to address disruptions in the regional supply of essential goods, which have been attributed to the diverse Covid-19 measures being applied in member states. Such disruptions have affected the flow of essential commodities including food and pharmaceuticals.
Under the new guidelines, member states will electronically publish any newly introduced trade and customs-related measures in response to the pandemic and share it periodically with the Comesa Secretariat.
An indicative list of essential goods based on the latest editions of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) Harmonised System (HS) classifications will also be published to facilitate clearance of customs and border requirements.
Comesa has said that the guidelines provide common measures and practices to be applied across the region and covers facilitation of cross-border movement of relief and essential supplies, transportation of goods and cross border freight transport operations, regulation and control of trucks/vehicles, aircraft and vessels carrying essential goods and services.
They also cover trade in services, customs/revenue authorities support to the economy and sustaining of supply chain continuity and monitoring and evaluation mechanism and sharing of best practices.
A socio-economic study will be conducted by the Comesa Secretariat analysing the impact of Covid-19 in member states. The study is expected to inform additional response and mitigation interventions.
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