Source: Zimbabwe to scrap trade barriers for regional countries – herald
Lincoln Towindo
PRESIDENT MNANGAGWA has directed the Government to immediately begin the process of removing all trade barriers, including tariffs and non-tariff restrictions, starting with countries in the SADC region, as part of efforts to boost regional integration, increase trade and unlock shared economic prosperity.
In an interview with The Sunday Mail on the sidelines of the Zimbabwe-Botswana Business Forum held on the sidelines of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) on Friday, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ambassador Albert Chimbindi said the move is aimed at improving the movement of goods, services and people while accelerating intra-African trade, which remains significantly low.
“His Excellency, the President, has taken a decision that we should continue to dismantle all these impediments so that we can share prosperity,” said Amb Chimbindi.
He said the directive was anchored in Zimbabwe’s “neighbourhood-first” policy, which prioritises stronger economic cooperation with regional partners.
Zimbabwe’s position, he said, is that trade volumes within Africa and SADC remain subdued largely due to the persistence of barriers that make cross-border trade costly, slow and unpredictable.
“These barriers have constrained the movement of goods, services and people. If we remove them, we will increase intra-African trade, which is currently very low,” he said.
Trade barriers broadly fall into two categories — tariff and non-tariff barriers.
Tariff barriers refer to taxes or duties imposed on imported goods, which increase the cost of products entering a country.
While such measures are often used to protect local industries, they can discourage trade by making goods less competitive across borders.
Non-tariff barriers, on the other hand, are more complex and include administrative, regulatory and logistical obstacles that hinder trade even in the absence of tariffs.
Amb Chimbindi said these include inefficiencies at border posts, cumbersome customs procedures, poor infrastructure, delays in cargo clearance and inconsistent regulatory requirements. “Non-tariff barriers include a lot of things — inefficiencies at the border, infrastructure challenges and even the mindset. If we say we are open for business, then our institutions must reflect that,” he said.
He added that long delays at border posts, often caused by manual processes, duplication of inspections and inadequate facilities, have been a major bottleneck to trade in the region.
“These delays that we witness at border posts should be things of the past,” he said.
The Government is now expected to address these challenges through a combination of policy reforms, infrastructure development and institutional realignment.
This includes simplifying customs procedures, digitalising border systems, improving transport and logistics infrastructure, harmonising standards and regulations with regional partners and strengthening coordination among border agencies.
The recent modernisation of the Beitbridge Border Post is part of the broader drive to dismantle non-tariff barriers and facilitate seamless trade flows, in line with regional integration goals.
Implemented through a public-private partnership, the upgrade transformed one of Africa’s busiest inland ports into a more efficient, technology-driven gateway.
The project introduced expanded cargo handling capacity, new terminal infrastructure, improved traffic flow systems and integrated digital customs processes, significantly reducing congestion and transit times.
Before the upgrade, Beitbridge was synonymous with long queues, delays in cargo clearance and costly administrative bottlenecks — all classic non-tariff barriers that undermined trade competitiveness.
The modernised facility has since streamlined operations through automation, improved coordination between Zimbabwean and South African authorities, and the introduction of one-stop border post systems.
This has cut down clearance times, lowered transport costs and enhanced the predictability of cross-border trade.
As Zimbabwe’s busiest trade corridor, linking the country to South Africa, improvements at Beitbridge have had a direct impact on trade volumes, particularly for exports and imports moving through the North-South Corridor.
The success of the Beitbridge model is now being considered as a template for replication at other key entry points, including the Chirundu Border Post and the Forbes Border Post.
The authorities say similar upgrades at these borders will focus on modern infrastructure, digital systems, improved logistics and better inter-agency coordination to eliminate delays and inefficiencies that continue to hinder trade.
Once replicated, the model is expected to further reduce non-tariff barriers across Zimbabwe’s major trade routes, strengthen regional supply chains and enhance the country’s position as a key transit hub within SADC.
Removing tariffs within SADC is also expected to build on existing regional trade agreements, while further liberalisation could reduce the cost of doing business and encourage cross-border investment.
Zimbabwe, Amb Chimbindi said, is positioning itself to take a leadership role in dismantling trade barriers, following similar calls made during the recent State visit by Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema.
The removal of both tariff and non-tariff barriers is expected to significantly improve trade flows by reducing costs, shortening transit times and enhancing predictability for businesses.
Experts say this could lead to increased exports, stronger regional value chains, higher industrial output and job creation.
For businesses, a more seamless trading environment would mean quicker movement of goods, reduced compliance costs and easier access to regional markets.
Amb Chimbindi said the ultimate goal is to create an integrated regional market where countries trade more with each other and leverage their collective strengths.
“In order for us to implement our neighbourhood-first principle, we have to make sure that we remove all the impediments to the movement of people, goods and services,” he said.
The push to eliminate trade barriers also aligns with broader continental efforts under the African Continental Free Trade Area, which seeks to boost intra-African trade and industrialisation.
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