‘Restrictive movement hinders intra-Comesa trade’

‘Restrictive movement hinders intra-Comesa trade’
By Maluba Jere
Thursday April 03, 2008 [04:00]

HOME affairs minister Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha has said the Zambian security personnel have been put on alert as Zimbabwe waits for the outcome of last Saturday's polls. In an interview yesterday, Lt Gen Shikapwasha said, "As you are aware, we've been handling influxes and so we are aware of the situation and have our officers on alert if an influx occurs."

Zimbabwe went to the polls last Saturday and the official results for the presidential race had not been announced by press time yesterday.

And Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) secretary general, Erastus Mwencha, has said restrictions on the movement of persons are discouraging intra-Comesa trade as they were adding to the cost of doing business.

During the sixth meeting of Comesa chief immigration officers in Lusaka yesterday, Mwencha said it was difficult to establish the large economic space, which the member countries were striving to attain when people were not able to move freely.

"I am informed for instance that business persons entering Singapore are able to enter that country within a few minutes of arrival with minimal disruption," he said. "It is believed that it is this kind of facilitation that has enabled Singapore to become a choice of first location for most international businesses."

He however expressed confidence that implementing legal instruments relating to the free movement of persons would bring about the desired goals.

Mwencha said facilitation of movement of persons was key to the enhancement of integration especially if focus was on aspects such as trade, investment and tourism.

And Lt Gen Shikapwasha called for the harmonisation of the Comesa protocol with that of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and ultimately, the African Union (AU) objectives.


"At a bilateral level, Zambia has concluded bilateral agreements affecting immigration with all her neighbours," he said. "However, we do recognise that similar arrangements could be negotiated with other Comesa member states that are not neighbours to Zambia in addition to the protocol on free movement of persons covering gaps that exist."

Lt Gen Shikapwasha said these arrangements should cover issues such as putting in place reciprocal visa arrangements as well as cooperation in border management to confront ills like international crime, terrorism, drug trafficking and smuggling.