President rallies Comesa to improve infrastructure, technology

Herald Reporter

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) has an obligation to improve infrastructure and technology as a means to guarantee trade competitiveness globally, President Mnangagwa said yesterday.

Speaking at the 21st Comesa Heads of State and Government Summit held virtually yesterday, President Mnangagwa urged the secretariat and member states to support the industrialisation strategy.

Zimbabwe has taken the lead in the construction and refurbishment of the country’s infrastructure like roads, expansion of the Robert Mugabe International Airport, as well as spreading digital literacy and supporting the growth of local industry.

“We note with concern that Comesa’s poor competitiveness globally has been attributed to the quality of infrastructure and technological adoption,” said President Mnangagwa, speaking through Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Ambassador Frederick Shava.

“The persistent infrastructure deficit is a major barrier to regional integration and calls for development of adequate and efficient infrastructure systems.

“Allow me to give a brief update on the infrastructure developments being undertaken by Zimbabwe under the North-South Corridor to enhance ease of doing cross-border business and improve trade facilitation. The critical Harare-Beitbridge Road is being rehabilitated. To date, 253km have been completed, with an additional 6,5km on the Harare-Chirundu Road.

“To add to that, the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport is being expanded to handle more visitors and cargo. This will undoubtedly boost tourism and trade under Comesa.”

There was an upgrade of the Beitbridge border post as a transit port under the north-south corridor, with the border post seeing phase one already completed.

Upgrading of the infrastructure and transformation at the port of entry will improve border operations, processes and procedures that facilitate intra-Comesa and intra-African trade, as well as movement of people, goods and services.

“I would like to commend Comesa and the European Union (EU) on the support provided under the Chirundu border post upgrade project with the aim to enhance the smooth flow of goods; services; and people in the region.”

On the industrialisation front, President Mnangagwa said: “I have no doubt that the Zimbabwe-Zambia Joint Industrialisation Strategy being facilitated by Comesa will go a long way to anchor the structural and economic transformation in both countries, in the agriculture and agro-industries sectors, which are among the priority sectors for joint cooperation.

“We note with concern the low intra-Comesa trade and urge ourselves to establish mechanisms for greater collaboration in the development of sustainable value chains in order to increase intra-regional trade in manufactured goods. I urge the Comesa secretariat and member states to mobilise resources to support the implementation of the Comesa industrialisation strategy and action plan and implementation strategy of the local content policy framework.”

President Mnangagwa said out of the 600 million people living in Comesa, the vast majority are youths and they needed to be involved.

“We are obliged and mandated to develop policies to engage the youth more meaningfully. I appreciate the work done and supported by Comesa in the area of youth and women empowerment and of small and medium enterprises development, which resonates well with Zimbabwe’s major thrust of the current blue-print, the National Development Strategy 1 of leaving no-one and no-place behind.”

President Mnangagwa said the world is facing great uncertainties exacerbated by Covid-19 and suffering in the world ranging from disease, strain on health systems, subdued production, and disruption of travel and trade.

The Comesa region has not been spared by the pandemic, “therefore there is need to strengthen openness, coordination, and collective approach by member states in facilitating trade and doing business in this constraining environment .

There was need to safeguard the existing trading arrangements and avoid erosion of gains already made in trade liberalisation in Comesa.

“In order to address some of these challenges and for Comesa to cope with the adverse effects of Covid-19, I urge member states to prioritise digitalisation of trade instruments, including e-trade, e-logistics, and e-legislation under the Comesa digital free trade area initiative.”

You Might Also Like

Comments

Take our Survey

We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey