THE COMMON MARKET FOR EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA (COMESA) INTER-TRADE HAS GROWS FROM $3.1BILLION TO $15 BILLION THIS YEAR

THE COMMON MARKET FOR EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA (COMESA) INTER-TRADE HAS GROWS FROM $3.1BILLION TO $15 BILLION THIS YEAR SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE REGION BLOCK IN 2001.

BUT THE REGION IS STILL FACING CHALLENGES SUCH AS HARMONIZATION OF LAWS ON THE BASIS OF ITS IMMIGRATION MODEL LAW DESPITE THIS ENORMOUS GROWTH.

COMESA SECRETARY GENERAL SINDISO NGWENYA DISCLOSED THIS DURING THE OFFICIAL OPENING CEREMONY FOR THE FOURTH MEETING OF MINISTERS RESPONSIBLE FOR IMMIGRATION IN LUSAKA TODAY.

MR NGWENYA POINTED OUT THAT IN ADDITION TO THE HARMONIZATION OF THE IMMIGRATION LAWS, THERE IS NEED FOR MEMBER STATES TO COOPERATE IN ADDRESSING ISSUES THAT CONFRONT THEM SUCH AS INTEGRATED BORDER MANAGEMENT SECURITY OF DOCUMENTS, HUMAN TRAFFICKING , SMUGGLING AND CAPACITY BUILDING AMONG IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS.

HE NOTED THAT DESPITE THE PROGRESS MADE IN IMPLEMENTING PROTOCOLS AND POLICY ORGANS DECISIONS, IT IS REGRETTABLE THAT SOME MEMBER STATES ARE YET TO IMPLEMENT PROGRAMMES THAT HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL AND THE COMESA AUTHORITY.

AND VICE PRESIDENT GEORGE KUNDA WHO IS ALSO JUSTICE MINISTER STRESSED THE NEED TO  IMPLEMENT REGIONAL PROGRAMMES BASED ON THE INDIVIDUAL LEGAL INSTRUMENTS WHICH GO BEYOND NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY SUCH AS THE PROTOCOL ON THE GRADUAL RELAXATION OF VISAS AS WELL AS  THE PROTOCOL ON FREE MOVEMENT OF PERSONS.

VICE PRESIDENT KUNDA FURTHER POINTED OUT THAT THE REGIONAL INTEGRATION AGENDA WILL NOT BE COMPLETE IF PEOPLE DO NOT ENJOY THE BASIC TENEMENTS OF REGIONAL INTEGRATION SUCH AS FREE MOVEMENT ACROSS BOARDERS .

THE VICE PRESIDENT ALSO SAYS  THE LACK OF IMPLEMENTATION OF LEGAL INSTRUMENTS THAT ARE ALREADY IN FORCE AND GOVERNING THE REGIONAL PROGRAMMES SUCH AS THE PROTOCOL ON THE GRADUAL RELAXATION AND EVENTUAL ELIMINATION OF VISA IS RETARDING THE PROGRESS.

published by augustine