Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe establish cross-border trade regime

So far, traders from the three countries have listed down products to be traded using this facility.

Malawi's assistant director of trade, Kenneth Nkankha, said STR has been developed to formalise cross-border trade.

“It will also allow traders from respective countries to benefit from COMESA's trade preferences,” he said.

Because of the agreement, traders from Malawi going to either of the two countries will no longer be required to possess an Inland Certificate of Origin from the Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry in order to cross the borders with a consignment of up to US$500.

A list of some of the products that qualify under the STR include smoked fish, yoghurt, groundnuts, bananas, live sheep and goats.

Although nine years have passed since the Free Trade Area (FTA) was launched, small-scale cross-border traders are yet to benefit from the COMESA tariff preferences.