Tanzania, Zambia resolve four trade issues, aim for more

Dar es Salaam. The governments of Tanzania and Zambia have successfully tackled four of the 15 challenges that previously hindered trade between the two countries.

This progress was announced by Zanzibar's Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Omar Shaaban, during a joint ministerial meeting.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr Shaaban said that the meeting was in line with the directives of the Heads of State of both Tanzania and Zambia, who met in Lusaka in October 2023, where among the agreements was for the respective ministers to sit together and address challenges facing traders in both countries.

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"We entered into these negotiations with 15 challenges, and within these three days, we have been able to completely resolve four challenges, two of which were on the Zambian side and two were on the Tanzanian side. Our Zambian counterparts were facing challenges in processing cargo quickly at the border; their major challenge was the lack of a scanner.

We are very grateful to President Samia Suluhu Hassan for providing a scanner for them. It took a long time to receive it, but we are pleased that they wrote a letter recently confirming its receipt and readiness to install it," he said.

He explained that Zambia had many obstacles from the border to Lusaka, which have now been reduced from 33 previously to 11.

"Indeed, our Zambian counterparts have made significant strides in easing the business environment within our countries. Another significant aspect is not just the business challenge but the directives from our heads of state to ensure the establishment of another border point at Kasesya, which will connect our two countries. This is a significant step, and this meeting has confirmed that the team has already prepared processes to begin," he noted.

For his part, the minister for Industry and Trade in Zambia, Chipoka Mulenga, said that the challenges addressed are beneficial to both countries.

"We have resolved some challenges that were not beneficial to both our countries, Tanzania and Zambia, to facilitate trade, including increasing staff and removing many obstacles along the way that were causing congestion."

"We have addressed the scanner challenge, which we have received from Tanzania due to diplomatic relations. We believe that the remaining challenges, when our ministers meet, will be further resolved for the broader interests of our countries to facilitate trade," he emphasised.