Aid in Action
Trade Information Desk Launched at Kasumbalesa Border
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Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Photo: COMESA
COMESA Assistant Secretary General Ambassador Nagla El-Hussainy signing the MOU with officials from the DRC Government at Kasumbalesa.
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) in collaboration with USAID/East Africa, and the U.K. Department for International Development (DFID) have launched the first ever Trade Information Desk at the Kasumbalesa Border Post in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The launch took place on January 27, 2009. DRC shares Kasumbalesa border with Zambia.
The Trade Information Desk will assist cross-border traders in the region with information on the COMESA Simplified Trade Regime (STR), the promotion of intra-COMESA trade, and peace in the region through economic integration.
The Trade Information Desk will provide information on the COMESA Certificate of Origin, the Simplified Customs Document, Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary standards and Non Tariff Barriers. The desk will supply information on transport and transport fares, accommodation around the border areas, maps of main cities around the border in DRC and Zambia, exchange rates and trading centers in the border area.
This launch is in line with COMESA’s Peace and Security Program that supports countries emerging from conflicts in post conflict reconstruction and development. As part of this program, the COMESA Trading for Peace Project, in partnership with USAID and DFID, has organized activities involving Government representatives and cross-border traders within DRC since January 2008.
Small scale traders will learn about the features and operational modalities of the COMESA Simplified Trade
Regime, intended to allow small scale traders to enjoy duty free and quota free entry of their goods across the borders in COMESA, therefore reducing costs incurred by traders.
COMESA Assistant Secretary General Ambassador Nagla El Hussainy commented, “It is expected that all common borders in COMESA will make the necessary steps towards operationalizing the COMESA Simplified Trade Regime and thus improve business for small scale traders and hence improve the standard of living of the people. The Traders will get a better understanding of the steps, documents and procedures that are required to facilitate import and export of goods at the Kasumbalesa border post.”