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Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
COVID-19 has exacerbated the non-tariff barriers that constrain free movement of people due to the emerging discriminatory practice of certain approved World Health Organisation (WHO) vaccines being a prerequisite for international travel.

The business community within the region has since called upon the African Union to appeal against discriminatory practice that limit economic growth.

Addressing the 16th meeting of the Comesa Business Council (CBC) board of directors meeting held virtually last Thursday, chairperson Mr Marday Venkatasamy, highlighted the need to tame emerging barriers on the free movement of people.

“There was an emerging discriminatory practice on the World Health Organisation approved vaccines that were a requisite for entry to some European countries. The African Union must appeal against it,” he said.

Mr Ventakasamy said the discriminatory practice was coming at a time when Africa was exploring ways of developing its own vaccines, adding that health security should be a top priority issue for African countries.

He said the CBC’s achievements for the year 2020 and the first half of 2021 include the establishment of the CBC Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Workgroup.

“Other successes include the facilitation of training for the private sector on the African Continental Free Trade Area’s opportunities, with a keen focus on trade in goods and market access requirements and the convening of the regional Public Private Dialogue on Digital Financial Inclusion in January 2021,” said Mr Ventakasamy.

The January event had brought together over 200 industry players to deliberate on policy areas for harmonisation, to inform the Model Comesa Digital Common Payments Policy for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Comesa secretary general, Ms Chileshe Kapwepwe, recognised that CBC, working in collaboration with Comesa had been at the forefront of the development of the regional guidelines on the movement of essential goods and services across the region during the Covid- 19 period.

“This underscores the importance for consistent involvement and advocacy of the private sector in policy making processes and public-private dialogue to address some of the notable challenges in regional trade,” she said.

Ms Kapwepwe said digitisation of industry remains a core for promoting trade and regional integration especially within this pandemic period, where there is a greater call for improving regional supply chains in order to advance industrialisation and increase trade among Comesa countries.

The meeting also commended the institution’s 2020 financial performance and approved the financial statements.

The 16th meeting of the CBC board of directors was attended by presidents and CEOs of national apex private sector associations and chambers of commerce from the Comesa region.