TINASHE MAKICHI
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has said a collective response to the Covid-19 by regional member countries with uniform standards will minimise the disruptions being experienced in the supply chain for essential goods.
COMESA secretary general Chileshe Kapwepwe said gains achieved in strengthening market integration, investment and structural transformation are under threat if member States do not stand together and collectively respond to the crisis.
Kapwepwe said the draft guidelines have been developed to help consolidate and coordinate efforts to manage the situation and rally Member States to conform to uniform standards to minimise disruptions in the supply chain for essential goods.
“The guidelines are meant to restore faith in the commitments we have made to co-operate in customs and border management, procedures and activities through simplifying and harmonising their trade documents and procedures as well as to abolish all,” Kapwepwe said.
She noted that the situation in the local economies was made worse by the fact that 80% of workers are employed in the informal sector and with all segments of value chains from plants, logistics of distribution, to the role of shops and restaurants, having been disrupted.
Kapwepwe cited the adoption of quarantine, social distancing, and restrictions of movement of persons, goods and services in the face of Covid-19 as directly resulting in production cut-downs, loss of jobs, shortage of food and other essential supplies.
“These measures require to be accompanied by pro-poor policy interventions to address immediate challenges such as food insecurity, lack of water and sanitation low social protection and lack of social assistance for the vulnerable,” she said.
COMESA is a regional economic community established in 1994.
It brings together 21 African Member States with a population of 560m into a cooperative framework for sustainable economic growth and prosperity through regional integration.
