The negative socio-economic impact of COVID-19 has not spared the leather industry in Zambia as the industry is feeling the pinch of the pandemic due to massive disruptions in the way business is done. Several small and medium entrepreneurs in the sector have folded altogether, while some have joined forces to stay afloat. Industry players…
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A report from the Fifth Trade and Trade Facilitation Sub-Committee meeting of COMESA which was held virtually has indicated that the region’s average growth slowed down in 2019 to 5.2% from 6.0% in 2018 and is projected to decrease to 0.6% in 2020. The slowdown in growth was experienced in most COMESA member countries except…
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There has been a notable increase in the number of Non-Tariff Barriers during the COVID-19 pandemic period as countries increasingly took discretionary measures to contain the spread of the virus. COMESA Director of trade Dr Chris Onyango told delegates attending the fifth Meeting of the COMESA Trade and Trade Facilitation Sub-Committee last week, 6-8 October…
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Monday, 12th October 2020, Lusaka – “Among the challenges impacting industry competitiveness, is the lack of an affordable and effective platform which accommodates digital cross-border payments by SMEs. In an effort to address this challenge, CBC’s Digital Financial Inclusion program, piloted in 9 countries (Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia), is…
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Seven countries: Burundi, Rwanda, Comoros, Egypt, Ethiopia, Mauritius and Madagascar have nominated officers that will serve as the focal persons in operationalizing the newly developed COMESA Information Sharing Portal. The portal is a resource page for real time exchange of information on regional supply and demand of essential goods manufactured in the region. Developed to…
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Preparatory work for launch of a Corridor Trip Monitoring System (CTMS) pilot project are an advanced stage. The CTMS is an initiative of the tripartite regional blocs; the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) on trade and transport facilitation. Piloting of…
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The Regional Integration Capacity Building Project (RICB II) under the COMESA Adjustment Facility (CAF) is conducting project monitoring missions in Zambia to assess the progress attained and capture key results achieved at national level as the project closes in November this year. Zambia is among the countries that is benefiting from CAF /Regional Integration Support…
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The COMESA Secretariat has committed to support the improvement of key transboundary initiatives to improve efficiency at the Kasumbalesa border point between D R Congo and Zambia. Over the years, this border point has experienced efficiency challenges related to movement of cargo and now the two governments are actively engaged to finding a lasting solution…
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COMESA is developing a regional Statistics Strategy covering the period 2021-2025. Its main focus will be to strengthen the collection and dissemination of statistical information in the region with the overall objective of supporting regional integration. The current Statistics Strategy covered the period 2017-2020. COMESA stakeholders from Member States, Partner organizations and the Secretariat held…
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In this edition: Member States Hold the Key to the Operation of the COMESA Information Sharing Portal Tripartite Transport Corridor Trip Monitoring System Set for Piloting National Monitoring and Evaluation Missions Mounted as RISM Project Winds-Up A New Statistics Strategy for COMESA is in the Works Border Efficiency Tops Agenda for DR Congo and Zambia…
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