Zim-UK to strengthen trade relations
TENDAI BHEBE IN BULAWAYO
Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom are working to strengthen trade relations and are betting on the new trade agreement to boost relations.
In an interview with Business Times, the UK head of trade policy for southern Africa, Charlie Morris said his country wants trade relations to be strengthened and grow in the coming years.
“Our hope and ambition is that the new economic partnership agreement that was signed between the UK, Zimbabwe and other partners in the region will be a fantastic tool to enable that to happen,” Morris said.
“We always recommend that if you are interested in exporting, get professional advice on the standards and that will enable you to see the best opportunities as an exporter. We also want to see a shift on the types of goods that are exported so that they are not just simple goods or necessarily just agricultural goods.”
He said the UK wants to see “more value added manufacturing and complex goods make it to the UK market” which will create jobs and growth in Zimbabwe.
Morris said trade relations will not be affected by sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe. He also said the diaspora communities in the UK were the largest consumers of goods from Africa.
“There are no specific products barred to enter the UK market. So, Zimbabwe in that respect will be treated like any other country in the world. The UK of course has high standards when it comes to plant and animal health,” he said.
“Also, we do always need to ensure products exported to the UK meet those standards but thankfully there is lots of help and advice online to enable people to do so.”
The UK was once Zimbabwe’s second-largest trading partner in Africa after South Africa.
But, relations, however, soured after the fast-track land reform programme at the turn of the millennium. Zimbabwe is now ranked number 138 in the world, and accounts for less than 0.1% of total UK trade.
While trade between the two countries peaked at £461m in 2018, it hit its lowest ebb of £126m last year.
