Zambia, DR Congo agree to simplify trade

Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) have agreed to put in place measures that will simplify trade between the two neighboring countries, according to a communique emailed to Xinhua on Friday.

Trade experts from the two governments held a bilateral meeting from June 2 to 4 in Lusaka, the Zambian capital, to discuss and agree on a common list of products eligible to trade under the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) simplified trade regime.

The meeting was facilitated by the COMESA secretariat and the African Development Bank (AfDB).

According to the communique, the two governments agreed on a common list of products that will be eligible under the simplified trade regime and that the products should comply with the normal food safety, plant and animal health regulations including environmental protection.

They also agreed that all products will still have to meet the Sanitary and Phyto Sanitary (SPS) and other standard requirements and that the agreed common list will be endorsed by ministers responsible trade and culminate in the signing of a decree.

The endorsed lists will be gazetted in both countries by Sept. 30, 2015, according to the communique.