The Zambian government has said improving customs, immigration process, administration over lapping membership among southern African countries were major challenges to attaining the free trade area (FTA) of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Customs Unions (CUs).
Zambia Daily Mail on Monday quoted Ministry of Finance and National Planning acting permanent secretary Agnes Musungu as saying that while there were clear advantages from the FTA and Cus attainment, there were many challenges in the entire process.
Kasunga said apart from improving customs and immigration process and administration, the question of overlapping membership was pertinent, thus she called for rationalization of existing and planned customs union if the members were to comply with the World Trade Organization rules.
She told a SADC forum on progress and prospects in the implementation of protocols in southern Africa held here Sunday that there was also need to enforce a mechanism on the implementation process of the COMESA and SADC Customs Unions (CUs).
She said issues that focused on instruments and enforcement mechanisms for protocol implementation, institutional, financial and human capacity were key in the implementation process.
Kasunga said the process should concur to achieve deep integration including harmonization of national regulatory systems and policies, competition policies and rules.
Kasunga said that it was important for FTA and CUs to be based on a comprehensive view of regional integration going beyond economics to refer to politics, security, culture and diplomacy.
And African Union regional delegate to SADC Omoyo Olaniyan cited lack of infrastructure development, weak implementation of protocols and institutions as major challenges facing most Africa countries.
He said the challenges in regional integration required immediate solutions as the continent, like other regions, was confronted with uncertainties about the future of economic growth and development.
He said high oil prices and food prices could reverse the recent gains in economic growth in most of non-producing countries in Africa.
Source: Xinhua
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