Negotiations to establish a free trade area in COMESA, SADC, and EAC launched.

Vice President George Kunda has said Zambia will benefit a lot from the trilateral Free Trade Area (T-FTA) of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)-Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) and Eastern African Community (EAC) once it comes into effect.

Mr Kunda said the Summit which culminated into the launch of negotiations to establish a trilateral Free Trade Agreement (T-FTA) also discussed among other issues Zimbabwe and Madagascar.

The Vice President in an interview with ZANIS shortly after arrival at the Lusaka International Airport from Johannesburg, South Africa, where he attended the just ended Summit on behalf of President Rupiah Banda, described the high level meeting as a success.

Mr Kunda who is also Justice Minister arrived at 14:00hours aboard a Zambia Air Force Plane.

The Summit whose vision is ‘towards a single market’ under the theme ‘Deepening COMESA-EAC-SADC Integration officially closed yesterday and was attended by 12 Heads of State and Government, 13 representatives of Heads of State and Government and six observers.

Meanwhile, Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Felix Mutati has urged Zambian entrepreneurs and producers to take advantage of the greater export market in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) economic bloc.

Mr. Mutati said the launch of negotiations to establish a trilateral Free Trade Agreement (T-FTA) at the just ended Summit in Johannesburg yesterday should invoke efforts of Zambian producers of goods to increase production and export to the tripartite economic regional body.

He told ZANIS in Johannesburg today that Zambia, like many other members of this regional economic block, will be able to export her goods to more countries on a quota and duty free basis. He said Zambia was reaping huge results of belonging to regional trade organisations hence citizens should take advantage of this membership and create wealth.

The Minister was outlining benefits which Zambia would realise from the launch of the T-FTA negotiations instituted during the second COMESA-EAC-SADC Heads of State and government at Sandton Convention Centre yesterday.

Meanwhile, British High Commissioner to Zambia, Carolyn Davidson said the FTA agreement was a huge step towards alleviating poverty among African people. Ms. Davidson, who also attended the summit, said Zambia should now
design her infrastructure projects towards fulfilling the economic criteria of the COMESA-EAC-SADC and other economic bodies.

She said Zambia and other countries in the regions should invest massively in their economies in order to make the T-FTA a success. The summit, whose vision is ‘towards a single market’ under the theme ‘Deepening COMESA-EAC-SADC Integration was attended by 12 Heads of State and Government, 13 representatives of Heads of State and six observers. Zambia was represented by Vice President George Kunda.

ZANIS/