The new chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa, is prioritising the setting up of a free trade area (FTA) by next year, reports said on Wednesday.
As the dust settles after a hectic SADC summit in Lusaka last Thursday and Friday, Trade and Commerce Minister Felix Mutat has placed the establishment of the FTA on top of the agenda.
”The implementation of the PTA is Zambia’s priority under its chair and the first meeting of technocrats takes place this October for the FTA road-map,” he said.
Zambia has yet to decide which regional bloc to belong to — SADC or the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa). However, Comesa deputy secretary general Songiso Ngwenya said at the summit that the two organisations could exist independently, while enjoying harmonised processes of the common customs union.
Zambians have hailed the establishment of the FTA, which they say would spur vigorous trade competition in SADC.
Zambia Manufacturers’ Association chairperson Dev Babbar said: ”The FTA will invariably spur competition and efficiency and harmonise trade patterns in the region.”
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) deputy press aide Joseph Mungwari accepted SADC’s economic rescue plan, but said the organisation should first resolve Zimbabwe’s political crisis and not otherwise.
”The idea of bailing out Zanu-PF will fail unless the ordinary Zimbabweans feeling economic pangs of economic mismanagement were addressed,” he said.
Mungwari said the MDC lobby to the SADC heads of state had yielded positive results but he wished President Thabo Mbeki’s negotiation scope could be widened.
The influx of Zimbabweans into Zambia has sent ripples of concern, as Citizens’ Forum executive secretary Simon Kabanda said: ”I am optimistic that the Zimbabwe situation will be addressed to avert further human rights and economic crisis. The SADC regional integration will be achieved, notwithstanding the commitment of leaders.” — Sapa-dpa