03 Mar 2013

Southern African Development Committee (SADC) programmes officer in the multi-literal trade section, Mr Alfred Ndabeni says the ongoing tripartite free trade area negotiations are on track and expected to be concluded in 2014.

Addressing members of the business community in Botswana on Friday, Mr Ndabeni said the free trade area negotiations started in 2008 between three rakes of trade; SADC, East Africa Community (EAC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).

The negotiations involved tariff liberalisation, common rules of products origin as well as free movement of qualifying goods among free trade area member states. He said once completed, negotiations will assist a lot of Batswana especially the Small Medium Enterprises (SME’s) in gaining a larger market across Africa.

 He said Africa has a population of about 527 million thus a potential market for business around the continent and would easily access goods, once the free trade area policy has been completed.  He added that through the cross border free trade, about 26 countries would break down tariff barriers to trade freely between themselves.

“Currently cross border tariffs are at 20 per cent, but once the free trade area policy is implemented, these tariffs will be reduced and ultimately zeroed,” he said.

 Further, he noted that free trade area in the continent would also assist in the movement of business people as it would cost them less to travel without a lot of sanctions such as the requirement of a Visa imposed on them.

For his part, Oxford committee for Famine Relief (OXFAM) representative, Mr Gus Mandigora said his organisation was willing to work with the civil society to advocate for policy issues and campaign for poverty alleviation and suffering in Southern Africa.

Mr Mandigora explained that OXFAM, an organisation based in South Africa, focused on the Southern African region to build civil society to dialogue with governments across the region to bridge the gap between government and the non-state organisations. 

He said they were looking forward to create dialogue and add value to discussions concerning the tripartite free trade area in order to demystify and create knowledge and understanding among member states. 

Again, he said OXFAM supported the tripartite free trade area idea, adding that its realisation would assist a lot of member states to reduce internal boundaries and open their markets. ENDS