COMMERCE MINISTER FELIX MUTATI HAS NOTED THAT ZAMBIA HAS NOT BENEFIT SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE AGOA TRADE PROGRAMME WITH THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA SINCE ITS INCEPTION 10 YEARS AGO DUE TO LACK OF HARMONIZED TRADE LEGISLATIONS AND TRADE BARRIERS.
SPEAKING DURING THE ZAMBIA INSTITUTE FOR POLICY ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH ORGANIZED CONFERENCE MR. MUTATI SAID THERE WAS A GROWING TRADE IMBALANCE BETWEEN ZAMBIA AND AMERICA.
MR MUTATI STATED THAT THE HOSTING THE AGOA FORUM PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ZAMBIA TO CORRECT THESE IMBALANCES THIS YEAR AND ADDRESS ISSUES SUCH AS TRADE BARRIERS OF ACCESSING THE AMERICAN MARKET WHICH NEEDS TO BE SIMPLIFIED.
MR. MUTATI NOTED THAT THERE IS NEED FOR THE COUNTRY TO EXPAND ITS REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL MARKETS THROUGH INTEGRATED REGIONAL NETWORKS AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS.
MR. MUTATI FURTHER OBSERVED THAT ZAMBIAN PRODUCTS WERE FACING CHALLENGES IN BREAKING THROUGH ONTO THE AMERICAN MARKET BECAUSE THEY LACKED ORIGINALITY AND DUE TO POOR PACKAGING AMONG OTHER THINGS.
HE SAID ALTHOUGH MOST OF THE PRODUCTS LIKE HONEY WHICH WERE NOT MAKING SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS ON THE AMERICA MARKET HAD ATTENTION IN THE EUROPEAN UNION MEMBER COUNTRIES, THERE WAS NEED TO IMPROVE TRADE LINKAGES WITH THE US SO THAT THE COUNTRY CAN EXPORT PRODUCTS SUCH AS MEAT WHICH ARE ON DEMAND.
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by:Augustine Sichula
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