The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) market liberalisation framework is opening new opportunities for Zimbabwean producers to expand into regional markets.
In an interview with the media, yesterday, the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Zhemu Soda, said the removal of trade restrictions within the regional market would enable Zimbabwean goods and services to reach more countries, creating opportunities for local businesses to grow and increase their market share.
“COMESA brings liberalisation of market access. It means goods and services from Zimbabwe can now enter into several countries without restrictions that we have been facing.
Improved access to regional markets would create an opportunity for local producers to demonstrate the quality of Zimbabwean products while expanding their customer base beyond the domestic market,” he added.
The Minister emphasised that opening markets was also intended to encourage producers to improve their manufacturing processes, adopt modern technologies and continuously upgrade their products to meet the demands of an increasingly competitive regional trading environment.
“Regarding the quality of Zimbabwean products, the idea of opening up our market is to allow those who are producing goods and services to continue to upgrade and bring about new technologies,” he said.
The development places emphasis on the need for Zimbabwean businesses to maintain consistent product quality and adopt efficient production methods to compete effectively with other suppliers operating within the COMESA market.
Furthermore, market liberalisation is intended to facilitate trade by reducing barriers between participating countries, allowing businesses to explore new destinations for their products and services. However, exporters remain subject to applicable product standards, customs procedures and other regulatory requirements in destination markets.
